Scarlet Swan and the Garden and the Hesperides
by mollywritesthings
Summary: A Percy Jackson AU, set in England and depicting the story of a thirteen year old girl named Scarlet-Rose Swan. All her life she - and her best friend Sofia Moretti - have been experiencing the strangest of things, but when they get attacked by a sphinx at their school, it appears that their weird friend Lucas Crop has the answers. Their lives change instantly.
1. Chapter One - A Dramatic End to Year 9

"So now, class, I want you to write down twenty sentences in perfect French of what you wish to fulfil during your summer holidays. If it isn't done perfectly, or is not completed, you will be staying behind after school to finish it."

That was my French teacher, if it wasn't already noticeable. What you may not have noticed is that that was supposed to be the last day of the school year. It was only a mark of us being bottom set that she wasn't lecturing us in full French on this humid, stormy day. I was sat by the window next to my friend, Lucas Crop, staring mesmerised at the heavy storm that was taking place.

"Did you catch that, Swan, or were you too busy daydreaming?" Madame Noir snapped at me. I instantly looked away, and instead looked straight at her.

"Yes, I do have _ears_." I grumbled. "There wasn't any need to snap." Ah, there it is, my huge mouth. I never did know what possessed me to speak sometimes.

"Pardon?" She raised her eyebrows at me.

"Nothing." I gritted my teeth, pulled my pencil case towards me and got out a pen, and looked painfully at my hardly used French workbook.

"Isn't this a wonderful lesson?" Lucas grinned. "I love it. And the teacher is so delightful too."

"I hate her." I clicked my pen open with perhaps more force than necessary and glared down at my book. "I think she wants to kill me."

"That is probably true. So do I."

I shook my head at him, and tried to focus on writing more than the date and title, which was probably spelt wrong, and then sighed as my dyslexia won, and I had no idea how to write these sentences in _English_, let alone French. I growled in frustration.

"Relax, Scarley, it's only French. You'll be out of this dump soon, anyway."

He had a point. I had been asked (ordered) not to return back to the school in September. My mother got a letter home at the beginning of June. This seemed to happen every year, because of my ADHD, and so I was in Year 9, and this was my tenth school. I did try not to get expelled, but something...strange, tended to usually happen. Very slightly my fault. Mine and Sofia's.

A slow murmur swept through the class, and so Lucas and I decided it would be safe to talk louder.

"You got completely beaten today in the High Jump." Lucas smirked, amused. Sofia and I both met Lucas at the beginning of year nine at this place. We were all new so got thrown together, and we liked him instantly. Not in _that_ way, but he seemed to us to not be a completely arse like most boys his age, much more thoughtful and deep. He had to use crutches as he had something wrong with his legs – which I could probably retort to his most recent taunt – and got picked on by pretty much everybody in the school because of it. This pretty much stopped when Sofia and I made friends with him, for people admired Sofia's beauty and feared me, for some reason, and we soon learnt that Lucas was an incredibly annoying boy who made far too many jokes and really liked to push our patience. He somehow got away with wearing a red baseball cap over his curly black hair, and had deep brown eyes with so much hidden depth, with his dark skin. He was an early developer for he already had a black wispy beard which clashed dramatically with his thin, boyish frame.

"Let's not talk about that." I felt utterly stupid of myself, as I never did well at High Jump, due to my height. "At least I took part."

"Hey, I have problems with my legs!"

"That isn't the only problem." I threw back.

"That is harsh, Scarlet. Although I –"

"Swan, Crop, shut it down the back there!" Madame Noir roared at us. All the obedient students in front of us looked behind, with superior and judgemental expressions. I looked down, absolutely fuming. _Idiots, _I thought, pretending to write, _they are no better than me. Stupid, boring, fools…_

"Just thirty five minutes and you will never have to see my beautiful face in this beautiful school again, cheer up, face ache!"

I sighed irritably. "I hate school. Only have another four more years."

"The next school might be good."

"I doubt it, Lucas. Just another place full of annoying people who annoy me. I just don't _belong _in school."

"Nope, you belong on the battlefield with a fully loaded gun."

I laughed begrudgingly, hitting Lucas playfully. "Oh shut it. I'm not that bad."

"Your temper is awful. Really bad."

I shrugged, and looked out of the window again. The storm was dying down somewhat, the dark grey clouds parting to reveal a white sky behind it, the ferocious rain falling more gently, the humidity in the air beginning to fade. I sighed, unhappy about this. I had always liked thunderstorms, they somewhat calmed me down. I spent the rest of the lesson doodling in my workbook, and at one point scribbling so hard I made a hole in the page. Anything to distract me from the horrible classroom, with its vomit grey walls and grey floor… the whole place was just a horrible, grey, cave of misery. I would rejoice in escaping, but I know I'll have an equally horrible school in September. The cycle forever continues.

At last, the clock struck three thirty. Madame Noir ordered us to line up and hand in our workbooks to be checked before we could leave the classroom. I was second to last in the queue; Lucas was behind me. Queuing was always a difficult time for me as I was the most impatient person in the world. I had been known to push in queues that I found unbearable, but in this instance I was kind of okay. When Madame Noir saw how little work I had done, again, I was going to be shouted at. And of course I would shout even louder back which would be quite unpleasant.

After an exceedingly long time of me thinking of what I could shout at her in advance, I reached her. Handing over my book, she turned to the right page as fast as lightning, and examined it. She brought the book closer to her face as though she might be able to see the invisible ink I used, but alas, no. She looked at me with a face of pure loathing, and I honestly believed that she was about to pull out a gun from her desk drawers and shoot me in the head. But she didn't. Instead…

"Scarlet Swan, I hope to never see you again. You have been nothing but a lazy pain since the start of the year, and it was only a matter of time before they expelled you."

Anger washed over me like a wave of ice. I felt static with electricity. I didn't shout at her, however much I wanted to. I simply put as much contempt into my voice as possible.

"Ugh, you know what, you've just been a bitch my whole time in this class, and I hope that karma bites you in back, right in that fat butt of yours."

And with that, I gave her one more glare, and I definitely saw her recoil slightly, which shocked me, but nevertheless I strode out of the classroom.

The corridor was packed with students, all wearing the grey uniform, and all in clumps. Clumps of girls, linking their arms and gossiping about the summer to come, and boys pushing each other round, filling all the empty space they could with their presence and booming voices. I tried to fight my way through these clumps, which was easy in that I had bony elbows and was surprisingly strong, but tough in the case that I was smaller than the average thirteen year old, very nearly fourteen year old. The problem was that I was going in an opposite direction to them, to meet Sofia. I could hear Lucas' crutches behind me, and soon together we were fighting past, and managed to safely find my best friend.

Sofia Moretti has been my best friend since reception. We were united by our dyslexia and our ADHD, and even more united by our trouble making and that we both had one absent parent. And we had been best friends ever since. Sofia was, somehow, in top set French because she was, somehow, fluent. Nobody actually understood why, she never bothered with it. Sofia had, without a shadow of a doubt, the looks in our friendship. She had olive coloured skin, with eyes that changed colour as often as the wind changed direction. Her hair was so dark a brown it was practically black, and she was tall and graceful, and nearly always smiling. She was my stunning best friend, and I felt like a lumpy toad in her presence.

"So we're finally out of here." I said to her.

"Well, I'm sure that that we'll miss some aspects of the place…" Sofia muttered. I should probably also tell you that Sofia is ridiculously kind. She would not say anything bad about anyone.

"Yes, me! You forget I'm still going to be attending here!" Lucas exclaimed.

"You know we'll miss you, Lucas." Sofia sighed.

"Ah, I know you will." Lucas linked arms with both of us and marched us towards the exit of the school. However, halfway there, he stopped abruptly, and turned around, still linking arms with us, and then walked in the other direction.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" I asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"We need to go and see Mr Ronich..." He responded, his jokey side gone and replaced with his deep and thoughtful side. This change was often as quick as that; you tended to get used to it.

"But why? School has _finished_, I want to go home and eat!" I groaned.

"Tough." Lucas simply stated.

"You go, Sofia and I will just..."

"Scarlet, please!" Lucas sounded quite desperate, so I decided to give in and go with him to see our favourite teacher.

Mr Ronich taught us Latin, and he seemed to have decided that I was his star pupil, despite the fact I haven't written a thing in his lessons. I did, to be fair, contribute a lot, as Latin was not altogether interesting, but it was far more interesting than all my other subjects. The Greek and Roman gods and goddesses and all their affairs. Like, Athena didn't like Arachne because Arachne thought she was better at weaving than her, so Athena turned her into a spider. Fair enough.

His office happened to be right at the other end of the school, and up two flights of stairs, so it took us quite a while to actually get up there. Mr Ronich was going through paperwork when we reached him. He didn't have any new technology, like a laptop, or a mobile phone, or even a Smart board in his classroom. His register was in this A4 graph book. This explained why he was still in the school, as it took him far longer to pack up than other teachers.

He had a brown beard, and brown hair, with these old, ancient eyes that seemed to have seen everything. He wore tweet suits and had a wheelchair, and when we entered his office he spun it around to face us. Before he could speak, Lucas jumped in.

"Sir, I think…"

"Yes I know." Mr Ronich and Lucas exchanged anxious looks, but Mr Ronich's soon evaporated once he looked at Sofia and me.

"Good afternoon, girls, I believe this is your last day?"

"It is." Sofia said. "It's sad, really, as I have just got settled, but it is completely my fault, however, nothing to do with Scarlet."

"Sofia, I set fire to the canteen." I said slowly.

"I persuaded our Geography teacher to run around the school in her underwear! Who does that?" Sofia looked utterly devastated, believing her prank to be the cause of our expulsion, as opposed to my outright _crime_. I found it quite funny.

"Anyway," Mr Ronich interrupted, "I think it was the right thing for the school to do, this place isn't the best place for you two."

"That's what I said." I looked pointedly at Lucas, but he didn't notice. Sofia looked down, slightly forlorn.

"Not for bad reasons!" Mr Ronich corrected himself. "No, you two belong in _other_ places." I started to feel as though Mr Ronich was digging the hole deeper.

"Special schools?" I asked, challenging.

"No! Just… just be patient, that's all." Mr Ronich sighed. I took a deep breath, calming down somewhat.

"Thank you for teaching us this year, sir." Sofia smiled sweetly.

"Yeah, thanks." I agreed.

"It was a pleasure. Although I'm sure I will be teaching you again someday. Now, I do need to talk to Lucas in private for a moment, so if you two girls can kindly step outside?" Lucas seemed like he was about to cry, so I decided it was a good idea, and we exited. I leaned against the wall, while Sofia looked through the glass in the door.

"I wonder what's wrong with Lucas… Maybe we should talk to him, let him confide in us?"

"That's more your forte, Sofia. I don't -"

"Don't be silly, you're nicer than you think you are. You know you care."

"I'm more suspicious if I'm honest, what is he saying to sir that he can't say to us?"

"He might be having problems at home, that he feels he can talk to Mr Ronich about. Poor thing."

"He never talks about home." I pointed out.

"That might be why!" Sofia was adamant that Lucas was having problems, but I couldn't quite believe her. Obviously if it was true then I would _try _ and help him, of course I would, but I had a strange feeling I couldn't shake off, that it was a bit more stranger than that.

Finally Lucas and Mr Ronich came out. Lucas did not look sad, mainly anxious, which made me feel triumphant in a way, because it almost showed that I was right. But then I wanted to know what was going on.

"Nothing!" Lucas said in a shrill voice. "Mr Ronich is just leaving too, so he's going to come out with us."

"Um, why?" I asked.

"Because he is." Lucas said shortly, and the four of us made our way out together, which I must say was one of the weirdest things I had ever done, just strolling out with my Latin teacher.

The storm had completely let up now, which was a shame. The sky was a white blanket of clouds, with the odd grey puff dotted here and there. Remnants of the earlier storm were on the ground, glistening wet with an enormous puddle near the entrance. Lucas and our teacher walked in front of us and they just suddenly stopped walking, so Sofia and I ended up bumping into them.

"What the hell is going on?" I snapped, really starting to get irritated with the secrecy of it all. And then something happened that changed my life forever. At first, I hardly even realised it had happened. Again.

A lion, yes a lion, with the head of a human woman, jumped right in front of us. It hissed, and looked evilly, right at me. Its fur was the purest of gold, and the face was that of a beautiful woman, only with black, charcoal eyes full of hate. Its teeth were bared and looked dangerously sharp.

"Oh my goodness!" Sofia shrieked, tearful.

"Get back!" Mr Ronich roared. Sofia and Lucas did so, but I ran forward.

"What is this?" I shouted at him, but while I did so, the lion pounced, and it was only by chance I was able to roll out of the way, the lion scratching me in the process, but that was just slightly more preferable than being eaten alive.

"Scarlet, for once in your life just do as you're told and get back!" My Latin teacher roared again, and this time I begrudgingly obeyed. I hurried back, but the lion kept its dark eyes on me.

"Come here and die, half-blood!" She shrieked, before going to pounce again. I stared at it, gobsmacked. I was aware that Sofia had been called it a few times, as she is half Italian, half British, but it wasn't something I had ever been called, and I didn't understand why she was calling me it.

"What did you say?" I shouted at it. It stopped. I regretted shouting this, and it really should have been the least of my concerns at that moment in time, but my naturally paranoid mind wanted to know. The lion stopping seemed to surprise Lucas, too, for he looked at it as if it had suddenly put on ballet shoes. Sofia grabbed my arm.

"Scarlet, come back, please." She hissed desperately. But I took a shaky breath and stared at the lion. I had a feeling that what she had said was important, and that her answer would be the answer to many questions of mine throughout the years.

"Well?" I demanded. Thunder shook the air, the storm raged once again, and the rain hammered hard and fast down upon us, clouding my vision and instantly drenching me. My mouth shook, but not through cold, but through fear.

The lion lady went to open her mouth and answer, and she seemed amused by my sheer ignorance, when an arrow flew through the air and hit her in the back. Her face became distorted in pain, as she disintegrated into dust, which the rain immediately dampened. Sofia let out a cry of relief, Lucas thanking the gods (yes, plural, but that wasn't my concern at the time) while with me, adrenaline pumped through my veins still, and the shock hadn't really kicked in. The area was completely empty, except for us, and the pile of monster dust. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a delayed reaction or whether I was… well… just becoming used to it.

You see, monsters like that have attacked me in the past. Sofia and I could be walking down Enfield Town High Street and have a snake in the form of a woman just turn round and try and kill us. Ugly brutes of men with singular eyes coming at us with baseball bats, for instance. This had been becoming more regular an occurrence over the years, and we genuinely believed we were going mad. We were referred to a psychiatrist, once, when we foolishly voiced what we had seen to who we thought was a trusting teacher, and the psychiatrist prescribed us with medication. After a year, when the strange things and monsters we would see still popped up, my mum and her dad decided that they didn't want us seeing the psychiatrist anymore and they made us bin the pills. That was a nice feeling, the pills always gave me a headache anyway.

That event also confused me, because believing I was just seeing things was easier than accepting that it could be real. But my mother deciding that I wasn't seeing things and that the pills were bad just confused me. Did that mean it was real, or not? She never really said either way. Although the fact that Lucas and Mr Ronich saw the monster today… even seemed to know it was coming… made me really start to think they were real. My mind was buzzing with what had just happened, and as Sofia hugged me, I started to wonder who fired the arrows. I looked round at Mr Ronich and saw him putting away a bow. I recoiled.

"Sir… that was you?"

"What are you talking about, Miss Swan?" he asked, perfectly calmly. I couldn't believe he could act this calm. I struggled my way out of Sofia's arms and marched over to him.

"I saw you! You fired an arrow at the lion lady, and it turned to dust. Don't you try and make out I'm lying."

"I really don't know what you're talking about, Miss Swan."

"I think Scarley's finally lost it." Lucas joked, back to his old self. "Lion lady?"

"I haven't lost it!" I shouted, and Lucas stepped back slightly.

"I saw it too… I think." Sofia muttered.

"Don't let these idiots make you believe differently, Sofia. We're not stupid… despite our end of year reports. Okay? Come on Sofia." I grabbed her arm and dragged her away, making sure I gave Mr Ronich and Lucas an angry look. How could they do this? And I ranted to Sofia all the time we walked home together, all about what idiots they were, and the entire strangeness of the event. It wasn't until I got home the adrenaline left me, and I stood in the kitchen, shaking as I made myself a cup of coffee, coming to terms with how close I was to death.


	2. Chapter Two - Swan Residence

I woke up the next morning after a surprisingly decent sleep. I checked the time on my alarm clock, and it was 10:22am. A reasonable time for a thirteen year old to wake up, I thought, and sat up. I could hear the rain again. It was less stormy than yesterday, but consistent, and the sound reminded me of the afternoon before. I groaned and sank back into bed.

I did a terrible job of distracting myself the previous night. I sat on the sofa in stony silence while my mother and half-brother watched the appalling Friday night television together. They didn't ask what was wrong; they were used to my moods. If Mum suspected, she said nothing, while Harry just laughed at me for a while, until I hit him.

So much was whirring through my mind that night. Why Mr Ronich and Lucas lied, why I got called a half-blood, and whether or not it really was in my head. I thought it very unlikely that it _was _in my head, but I needed to know what.

Mum was at work, and Harry, an eleven year old lazy arse, was still in bed, so making the most of having half the house to myself, I got out of bed and stumbled tiredly downstairs.

We had a reasonably large house. Mum was very dedicated to her job – an important person in the BBC, and her wages were quite high. It was rare that Harry or I saw her, but we didn't really care. We had grown used to it.

Of course, that wasn't her original job. Her original job was in fact, given to her by my father. Not directly, but it's thanks to him she got it. I didn't like that. I had never met my father, nor seen a picture of him, or spoken to him, or anything. It's like I didn't _have _a father. In fact, I didn't. I didn't have a father.

He left me and my mum pretty much as soon as I was born…The nerve of him. And the horrible thing about it was that he helped my mum out so much, made her dependent on him, impregnated her and BOOM he buggered off.

My mother was an only child in a relatively poor family. She was intelligent, but never really cared about studies, and didn't go to a very good school, so scraped passes in most of her O-Levels. She did better at A-Level, getting B's and A's, and managed to get into University. After graduating, having studied Classics and Ancient History, she got a job. At a newsagents. She didn't want to do this, at all, so she decided to try and become a model. However, like me, she was small. Unlike me, she was very pretty, with long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her skin was clear and tanned and she had a wonderful smile.

One day, she decided she would go out and try and get a modelling job. She didn't write application forms, she jumped on a tube and she travelled into Central London and went to every place she could find. And every place had rejected her.

Mum always said that this was the second most horrible time in her life. Her parents and filled her with naïve views that she can do whatever she wanted to do in her life, but evidently not. She felt ugly and worthless, and she had a moment of crisis. What was she going to do with her life?

She wandered aimlessly to Trafalgar Square, and sat down; deflated, and figuring out what on earth she was going to do, when a handsome stranger sat next to her. Yes, that was my father. He was a middle-aged man, who evidently was very wealthy, by his clothing. He asked her what was the matter, and my mother ended up telling the stranger all about it. He told her he didn't understand why a beautiful woman like herself would get turned away, so he took her back to one of them. His power was evident, as he managed to get her a modelling job instantly, and then he took her out to dinner.

The next six months they both lived a glamorous life together. They both lived in a beautiful flat by the River Thames, her career extremely successful, and _him _being lovely and romantic and treating her with roses and chocolates and everything a woman could possibly want.

And then she fell pregnant. Mum always became a lot more mysterious when talking about what happened after this, except for the fact that she couldn't model whilst pregnant. And then she gave birth, and he left.

Staying in the flat was too painful for Mum, and so she sold it. I don't think he knew about this. Mum then got her job in the BBC, and, determinedly trying to distract herself from my stupid father, quickly made her way up through the department she was in, as at the time she was quite a well-known model. Within a year, with the money she got for the flat, and her wages, she managed to get a deposit on the house we live in now. During that year I had been more or less been looked after by my now deceased grandmother. I think Mum needed to distract herself from the pain of losing my dad, and that's how she did it.

Now living in a new house with me, she met another bloke. She went out with him for a year, and he was always good to me, was Peter. He treated me like a daughter, and he looked after me while Mum was at work. Then Mum fell pregnant with Harry and we all were a brilliant family, until I started school.

I caused trouble. Yeah, I've always been a bit rebellious, but I also received my first monster attack. This caused uproar in the family, and I remember envying how Sofia's family took it so well. Not with mine. Peter left, leaving my mum with two young children under five. Mum didn't seem to care, and I strongly suspected Peter was just a rebound anyway. And that is how we lived our lives for the next eight/nine years.

Harry was an idiot. He was the _clever _one in the family, and he got all Level 6's in his year six SATs tests. Yes, Level 6 was rare at SATs level. That is my brother for you. And he liked to _brag _that he was clever, and that was the main reason we argued. We were just so different, in ways I could hardly begin to know or understand. Despite being nearly three years younger than me, he loved to act like he was cleverer than me, and I was glad that he was still in bed when I got up.

I switched on the TV to watch a comedy, rummaged through the newly stocked fridge, and picked out bacon, eggs and sausages. I decided that nearly dying meant I deserved a full fry-up. I had the bacon and sausages in the grill, the egg frying, and the toast in the toaster. My ADHD was brilliant for this type of multi-tasking, I was aware of everything that went on in the kitchen, but Harry's sensing a fry-up being cooked wasn't helpful.

"Scarlet, can I have some?" He asked, sitting down at our breakfast bar and looking expectantly at me.

"No." I snapped. He continued to pester me as I dished it up, but I refused to give in, and sat eating my greasy and extremely high in fat meal, while he sulked. The way I saw it, I got food, he got good grades.

"When's Mum home?" He asked.

"One o'clock. Being as you're so brainy you should remember that." I smirked.

"Level three in year nine." He coughed discreetly. I decided throwing cutlery at my sibling would be a bit too far, so I settled for kicking him under the table.

Soon Harry got bored of annoying me and went upstairs to play on his Xbox, so that left me to drink my coffee in peace, watching TV. And then the doorbell rang. This confused me, nobody in the house ever got unexpected visitors. Sofia and I usually planned when we'd go round each other's house, Harry didn't have many friends and my mum usually went out to bars if she wanted to see hers. Slightly paranoid, after my experience the previous day, I cautiously went and answered the door. To my relief, it was Lucas. Then I remembered I was angry at him and went to shut the door, but he held it open.

"Come on Swan, let me in! You know you love me."

"Oh go away Lucas." I exclaimed.

"Please? Let me make it up to you."

"Make what up to me?"

That stumped him. I smiled inwardly at catching him out, but I just raised an eyebrow and glared at him until he responded.

"You think I lied to you, when Lucas never lies."

"Scarlet thinks you should stop bloody talking in third person."

"Ha, you're doing it now! You're better at English than you give yourself credit for, if you know what third person is."

"Oh shut it." I sighed, but I let him in.

Lucas very rarely came round, so this only increased my suspicion that he knew very well what had happened yesterday. His dumb act wasn't going to work with me, but I decided to try and trick the information out of him. Unfortunately, I had never been good at this. Evidence of this was when he was sat down in the kitchen, and I was doing the dishes.

"So…" I started casually. "Yesterday. Weather was bad, wasn't it?"

"Scarlet, stop trying to get information out of me."

"So you admit you have information?" I jumped in, desperately trying to catch him out.

"No, I never said that. You been taking crazy pills?"

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, putting my knife and fork in the dishwasher with perhaps too much force. That is probably a common theme with me, using too much force.

"Why did you come round?" I asked suddenly. He hesitated before responding. "Well?" I demanded.

"I just wanted to see my favourite Scarlet!" He smiled, what he evidently thought was a dashing smile.

"Why now though?" I continued to interrogate him, and I could tell, despite his laid-back manner, he was starting to become uncomfortable.

"Oh, I don't know, I just imagined you here, all cooped up and lonely, and thought I'd be a hero and come and save you."

I laughed sarcastically. "Okay, then. That must be it. You and your so heroic manner. What did you do yesterday, when the lion lady attacked?"

"I… there was no attack, Scarlet, gods you are determined."

"Just admit there was an attack!" I shouted at him.

"No." He smiled slyly. I was beginning to wonder whether he was doing this to wind me up. Glaring at him, I informed him that I was going to go and get ready, and I stormed upstairs.

I may or may not have mentioned, but I didn't like my appearance. I was smaller than my friends, and pale. My eyes were the colour of rain, and my face looked proud, and almost like a man's. My hair was brown and long, the colour a mixture of my mum's blonde hair and my dad's apparent black hair, and it was usually knotty and wavy. My eyebrows were, however, black, and that was quite annoying. I got changed into a black floaty skirt that Sofia got me for my thirteenth last summer. She got age thirteen yet it only just fitted me, and a navy buttoned top, with some leggings, and decided that that would do, and I stormed back downstairs, to find Lucas sat thinking, having helped himself to a raw carrot and a glass of orange juice.

"Thinking about lion ladies? Nice choice in food, by the way. You're like a little farm animal." I joked casually, although that didn't fool him. He bit into his carrot irritably.

"Hm. Change that subject, you're boring me my friend."

"Yeah, I…"

As I had walked into the kitchen, I was facing the window that faced out onto the front garden. And I had a double take as I took in what was actually out there. Usually it was a simple piece of land, a rectangular piece of grass, with a few simple plants, and a cute little tree with a monster sat under it.

The monster wasn't a fixed edition.

I'd seen a version of this monster before, having been attacked a lot. It was about seven foot, bald, wearing tramp clothes and it had one eye as opposed to two. I had learned about this monster in Latin class. A Cyclops, but surely it can't be…?

I stared wide eyed at this monster, and then, realising that it could look up and see me at any time, I abruptly marched across the wide and exuberant hallway into the living room. If Lucas wondered why I did that, he soon realised, and, with a yelp, he ran in. He couldn't walk properly and needed crutches, but he could run incredibly fast.

"Still going to feed me a load of lies?" I hissed.

"Nope, you're right, there are monsters." He whimpered.

"If we survive this I'm going to kill you." I threatened.

"Sofia." He simply said.

"What about her?" I responded, confused.

"You and her made plans today! She was going to come round and trim your hair. The real reason I came round, I fancied a trim myself."

Ah. Of course. I was getting irritated with my hair yesterday during lunch and she told me that she would come round and cut it today.

"Obviously nearly dying made me forget." I retorted. Then I realised. "Oh, oh my goodness, when is she coming, do you remember?"

"Calm down, Godzilla, maybe the monster will have gone by the time she gets here?" He suggested meekly, but I had other ideas. Falling to the ground, in case the monster came and looked through the window, I crawled on the floor to reach the landline. Mum never let me get my own mobile, to my annoyance, and Sofia wasn't allowed either -something which I had never questioned as odd until that moment. I grabbed the landline and hammered the phone number I knew off by heart with shaking fingers, and nervously waited for somebody to pick up.

"Hello?" Answered Sofia's father, Mr Moretti.

"Hey, Mr Moretti, it's Scarlet. I was just wondering when Sofia was going to leave to come to mine?"

"Oh, hey Scarlet, Sofia's already left, you won't have long to wait."

Oh crap.

"Ah, thank you." I thanked him and rang off.

"Already left?" Lucas asked.

"Obviously. What do we do? I am _not _letting that _thing _get my best friend, so you better have a plan, he-who-seems-to-know-everything, because I'm coming up short."

"Whoa, calm it Kermit, I think I do. We need to Apparate to wherever she is and stop her from coming."

"Stop making jokes, this isn't Harry Potter, unfortunately. What do we _do_?" I started to panic now. "I'm going to have to go out and stop her, or maybe I…"

"Scarlet." Lucas said, all jokes aside. "It's my job to protect you, so in no way are you going outside with that there."

"Protect _me_?" I shrieked. "Are you having a laugh? I spent the whole of year nine protecting _you_, what are you… your job?"

"I think it's time everything was explained to you, but now is not the time."

I thought that through. So, if we survived this, I would know the truth. Rational thought had never been what I'd done best, so the best idea in my opinion would have been to have just ran out like a crazy lady, but Lucas was right in that it would probably get me killed, but if I could get _Sofia _to be impulsive…

"We're going to stand by the door." I decided, sounding more confident than I felt.

"Um, why? Is it pretty?" Lucas asked.

"We open the door a fraction, and when Sofia comes by we suddenly open it and scream at her to run before she gets devoured."

"That is actually ridiculous. Can't we just lob carrots at it and hope it goes away?"

I completely ignored this comment, and opened the door a fraction, like planned. This felt like the riskiest thing I had ever done. And so we waited.

And waited.

After what felt like an eternity (ten minutes) Sofia's footsteps could be heard walking down the path. It was raining, so of course she wore a pair of shorts, a vest top and a cardigan, because that is totally appropriate clothing. And, as planned, I shouted at the top of my voice "RUN!"

Sofia looked up, startled. Then the monster lurking under the tree roared, jumping up at the sudden sound. Sofia looked to her right and screamed, before bolting as fast as her skinny legs could carry her. The monster tried to grab her as she ran, but he missed, and she was at the door and inside the house.

Sofia was drenched. Her dark hair was hanging down, her eyes a pale blue and her white vest top showing through.

"Sensible clothing, Sofe." I managed to say.

"I take it I'm not cutting your hair?" She guessed correctly. The three of us entered the living room and slumped onto the sofa at the same time. Lucas was heavily breathing, Sofia was trying not to cry and I was sat in the middle, fuming.

"This can't go on." I cried out suddenly. "All these attacks… what even is it? Lucas, you admitted that you know about the monsters… you have to speak up, or so help me I will go mad."

"What time is it, Little Miss Cheerful?" He asked. I looked at the clock that was on the wall in front of him and told him it was quarter to twelve. "And what time does your mother come home?" I told him. "Then I will tell you then."

After the questions I bombarded him with got me no results, I switched on the TV and, in silence, we watched a re-run of Friends, having no idea that this would be the last bit of peace we would have, for, well, ever.


	3. Chapter Three - Truth

We pretty much stayed sat in the same position until my mum returned, and it was a mark of our friendship that we didn't really need to speak. Neither Sofia nor Lucas got up, and the only time I did was to go upstairs and get a towel for Sofia, and to order Harry not to leave the house at any cost. I then got us all cans of Diet Coke from the fridge and a huge packet of toffee popcorn before parking myself back in between my friends for the next hour or so.

"Won't the monster get my mum?" I suddenly exclaimed, sitting upright.

"Highly unlikely." Lucas responded, putting a handful of popcorn into his gob.

"So the big monster won't notice my mum walking down the path?" I scoffed.

"No' a' all, 'n she won' notice 'im." Lucas tried to answer, with his mouth full. Sofia grimaced at him, and I sat back down. Something forced me to believe what he was saying. He wasn't yelping like earlier, so he must have been sure.

Sofia was keeping very quiet. She hardly touched the popcorn, but that was normal for her, and her eyes, now a hazel colour, were on the TV, but not watching it. She was clearly as anxious as I was, but I was eating my feelings.

At twenty five past one, we all jumped at the sound of the key turning in the lock. And soon entered my mother. Small as ever, with lines on her face from smoking and her short greying hair falling out of its bun. Her eyes were still the same blue, but she was less thin now, and wore trousers instead of skirts, with no make-up.

"You didn't say your friends were coming round today." She accused, standing by the doorway with her arms folded.

"Sorry, didn't realise it was a hanging offence." I answered back. "We have things to discuss, dear Mother."

Mum's eyes widened for a split second, before she replied with, "Like what?"

"Scarlet's daddy, Miss Swan." Lucas simply stated. Sofia and I stared at him. Now _that _was the tip of the iceberg.

"My _father_?" I exclaimed. My dad was a touchy subject with me. "What does that good for nothing prick have to do with this? How dare you…"

"Scarlet." My mum sighed. "He has everything to do with it."

My mum seemed to age about ten years right on the spot, like she always did whenever my father was mentioned. Although anxiety seemed to be mixed in along with the pain. I was astonished that he was involved, and angry, like whenever I thought of him.

"I think you two have explaining to do._ Now. _" I stated. Mum hastily sat down on the armchair, and sighed. She pushed her fingers against the bridge between her eyebrows, and looked like she had been dreading this day. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and let her ready herself. Sofia was tapping her fingernails against the arm of the sofa, and Lucas was now hogging the entire bag of popcorn to himself.

"Scarlet, I've always told you… that you're special." Mum started. "You always shouted at me for mocking you… you thought I was saying you're special needs. But I meant it literally. You're special."

"Um… okay?" I responded uncertainly.

"You are aware with Greek mythology, aren't you?" She asked me.

"Yes, I studied Latin all year. You and Mr Ronich wouldn't stop talking last parents evening."

"And so you are aware of the gods and goddesses?" She asked cautiously. I nodded.

"Well… what would you say if I told you it was all real?" She whispered this, blinking back tears as she did so. This evidently was hard for her to say.

"I would think you were mad."

"Scarlet… Scarlet… Scarlet…" Lucas began, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You were so keen on me admitting that there were monsters earlier…"

"But myths are myths." Sofia said simply.

"Or are they?" Lucas asked slyly.

"But why doesn't the whole world know they're real then, what with ugly monsters going round and attacking people? I'm not that stupid, you aren't going to fool me with this. " I ranted.

"Because most of the world can't see it." Mum answered. "You see, Scarlet, most of the world, mortals… the Mist conceals the entire mythological world from us. We don't see monsters, or anything remotely to do with that world. It doesn't affect us."

"Then why… oh." I was beginning to feel really confused. When Mum said 'us', I didn't feel she was including me.

"You _are _affected by the mythological world, Scarley, because you are a part of it. You are attacked by monsters, you see things… which is what doctors have labelled as ADHD… but you are very much a part of it."

"Why?" I asked my mother slowly. "Why am I?"

It took my mum a while to answer this. She took a deep, shuddering breath, and said the sentence that changed everything.

"Your father is a god. You're a demigod, Scarlet."

At first, I wanted to throw a pillow at her and tell her to quit talking rubbish. Then, I wanted to run to my room and punch a pillow, to relieve the sense of absolute fear that had filled me. Instead, I just stared at my mother.

"Why are you lying to me?"

Mum clearly didn't want to say anymore on the matter so instead Lucas took up the post.

"It's very true, Scarlet. You're dyslexic, because your brain is hardwired for Ancient Greek, and your ADHD is your heightened senses, and your battle reflexes. Monsters find you and are attracted to you because of your demigod scent."

"But I see monsters too." Sofia sounded confused. "But I can't be a demigod…"

"You are, Sofia." Lucas grinned. "Your mother is a goddess. You have dyslexia and ADHD also. You're both a pair of united demigods."

Sofia and I looked at each other, and Sofia looked completely fearful. I was so utterly baffled. I had no idea when I woke up that morning that I would be told this. I didn't feel scared, or happy, or excited. I just felt confused.

"So… well, then…what now? If I decide to believe… this… then things can't continue as they are for Sofia and me."

"There's a place, just outside London." Lucas said, his voice full of respect. "A place called Camp Half-Blood. It's the only safe place for demigods to go to. No monsters can get in there."

"So we're going to go there?"

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea." Mum broke in. "I hardly get a good night's sleep, worrying that you'll get attacked the next day."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier then?" I snapped. "If there's a safe place I can go to, shouldn't I have gone there sooner?"

"Me and Sofia's father were both agreed that we should try and have you both a normal life. Telling you the truth makes your scent so much more powerful as well, so we thought we would act like everything is normal. But it's gone too far now."

Nobody spoke after that. I found myself wondering what Camp Half-Blood was like… and what it would feel like to finally be safe. But then I ended up thinking about my dad again. Cue the anger.

"So my dad, the _god_, had to leave. Why?" I demanded.

"I'm sure our parents had good reason…" Sofia started, but Mum then answered.

"The gods can't be directly involved with their mortal children, a decree Zeus made a couple of centuries ago. There was nothing your father could have done, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you."

"Who is he?" I sniffed.

"I don't know, he never said." Mum sighed wistfully, caught up in memories of when she was shacked up with a god.

"Do we have to stay in Camp Half-Blood… forever?" Sofia asked tentatively.

"It depends." Lucas answered. "Most only stay in the summer, to train, but some are too powerful to leave."

"What would we do? I don't think I can leave my dad too long…"

"How many of us are there?" I accidentally interrupted, but it was a thought that suddenly struck me.

"Not many." Lucas answered. "I'd imagine roughly one hundred of you creeps altogether."

Only one hundred… that was even less than our year group at school. That really wasn't many demigods at all. And Sofia and I were two of them.

"Are you a demigod?" Sofia asked.

"Do not insult me, Miss Princess." Lucas gasped, mockingly insulted. And then he kicked his shoes and fake feet off to reveal hooves. Yes. He had hooves. He then rolled up his jeans to reveal… goat legs.

"Goat." I stated.

"Excuse me? I'm a bloody satyr! Do not call me a goat again Scarlet Swan or I will force my kind to trample you."

"A satyr. Oh my goodness, I think I'm about to faint." Sofia gasped. "This is all such a shock! I mean… a demigod. Lucas a satyr. My mother a goddess and a camp to keep me safe from monsters."

"Just your usual rainy Saturday." I managed to smile. "Um… where do we go from this point? I feel something needs to be done… oh crap Harry's upstairs, do you think he heard?"

"Don't be so ridiculous Scarlet, of course he didn't." My mum had jolted back to her normal self, although her eyes were rimmed with tears, which she quickly tried to brush away. "Now, I think, being as the attacks are becoming regular, we need to get you to camp ASAP. Let's go upstairs and pack your things."

"We're leaving _now_?" I cried. "What?"

"What's the point in delaying? Get up off your arse and help me pack your things."

Once Mum had dragged me upstairs, I rummaged through my wardrobe for my khaki coloured rucksack, which I used to use for a school bag, until I got a new one for Christmas.

"You're required to wear a camp top, but they'll give you one once you arrive, so just pack your plain grey top." I did as I was told, and then packed a pair of shorts and jeans, underwear, socks and a navy jacket. Mum had put my toiletries in a little bag for me: toothbrush, cleanser and a razor. And apparently there really wasn't much else to pack. I also put my iPod in there, even know Mum said I wouldn't have much time to listen to it.

"I'd give you a knife, but unless it's celestial bronze it won't work against monsters…" Mum muttered.

"Celestial bronze?" I asked.

"Yep, a powerful metal. Tempered in the heart of Mount Etna and cooled in the River Lethe. It affects anybody or anything in the mythological world."

"How do you even know all this?" I asked, irritated still that she hid it all from me.

"Scarlet, you forget I studied Ancient History at degree." She managed a smile, and then turned serious again. "And of course I made it my knowledge before you were born to find out everything I could about demigod life. Me and your father would have lengthy discussions at top restaurants in London."

"Yet he never told you who he was." I shook my head, incredulous and also disgusted with my dad.

"He couldn't. And neither could Sofia's mother… they just couldn't."

"Sounds stupid." I muttered angrily.

"That may be." Mum sighed. "Scarley, go and say goodbye to your brother. I'll take your bag downstairs."

I was strangely reluctant to say goodbye to my brother. We had never been close, but I never liked goodbyes. Probably because of all the people in my life that had buggered off. So when I barged into Harry's room, we just looked at each other awkwardly.

"What do you want?" He grunted.

"I, um, have to leave." I revealed. He looked up, a bit confused.

"What do you mean, leave? To the shop?"

"No, Harry, I'm leaving home. At least for the summer." I snapped the first part, and softly spoke the second.

"You haven't rowed with Mum again, have you?" He asked warily.

"No. I just have to. I might explain to you one day… but."

The two of us just looked at each other. His face portrayed no sign of emotion; however he played with his hands, like he did when he was nervous.

"Will I see you again?" He eventually asked.

"Hopefully." I decided not to give a yes or no answer, especially as I hadn't even made up my mind yet. He then surprised me by coming up and hugging me. He was small for his age too, so he looked up when he next spoke to me.

"I'm going to miss you, sis." He grimaced, as though saying that caused him pain. I burst out laughing, and then sighed.

"Yeah, I'm going to miss you being a grumpy sod."

"Says you, you're like a thunder cloud personified!"

I shook my head and smiled, before turning serious. "Harry, please look after yourself. You're starting year seven, you're going to secondary school. Don't be a twat. And look after Mum. I'll be worrying about you."

"Scarlet, we're not going to burn the house down without you. You don't run this house."

"I beg to differ." I argued.

"Can you tell me what's going on?"

I hesitated, contemplating this. He's my brother, so perhaps he should know the truth. But then, I had a sense that telling him would be dangerous.

"No." I said firmly. "Maybe when you're older, like I said."

"Scarlet come down now!" I heard my mother call. I bit the inside of my mouth as my brother and I said goodbye to one another, and could hardly bring myself to leave his room and come downstairs.

"Are you alright?" Sofia asked, once I had joined them.

"Fine." I said, daring anyone to contradict me. Nobody did.

"Put your coat on." Mum told me.

I went and put on my dark purple winter coat, and then had a sudden memory.

"What about the monster outside?" I asked suddenly.

"There's a monster outside?" Mum gasped. "And to think I walked right past it…"

"What do we do?" Sofia shrieked, panicked.

"I think we should leg it." I shrugged.

"So wise." Lucas nodded sarcastically.

"Well what else can we do?" I argued. Nobody said anything. "We have none of this _celestial bronze _that Mum mentioned, so we're best off running for it."

"Couldn't we just creep quietly?" Sofia suggested meekly.

"That doesn't half sound more safe." Lucas agreed.

I peered through the door. The monster was awake, but not looking in the direction of the path. To creep, or to run?

"Let's just run for it!" I persuaded. "If it's awake, it will sense we're creeping straight away. I'm going."

Pretty bravely, I must admit, I shouldered my backpack, opened the door and ran. I could hear footsteps following me. I shuddered as I passed the monster, who has just realised what was going on and jumped up. I didn't stop running until I reached the car, and crashed right into it. The others, thankfully, managed to reach the car also, but Mum, panicking, stumbled when trying to reach her car keys to unlock the car and the monster was advancing on us.

"Mum hurry up!" I shouted.

Mum ignored me, having found her keys, she now had to find the correct one. It was utterly ridiculous how long it was taking her to unlock the bloody car. _Bleep bleep_… and the car doors all opened and Mum and two teenagers threw themselves in. I tried, but someone had hold of my coat. I turned my head and gasped. The monster had hold of me. I struggled against it, absolute fear now filling me up.

Then the strangest thing happened. I had a burst of rage, and this burst of rage almost blinded me. It felt as though my skin had exploded off my body, and my vision was black. But the next thing I knew, the monster was off me, and unconscious on the ground. I stared at it for a moment, stunned, but the sound of the car horn urgently beeping spurred me back to life, and I climbed into the passenger seat, again, confused with the event that had just occurred.


	4. Chapter Four - In The Way, Slightly

Driving in the rain has always been one of my favourite things. I always found it so tranquil, and I would usually recommend it to anyone who needed to de-stress. However, when you are stuck in the car with three people who are constantly questioning you about an event you do not want to talk about, it is the complete opposite. I wanted to just jump out and run away from them.

"So did you purposely try and do something?" Mum asked.

"No, Mum."

"Ooh, that was really powerful, did it die?" Sofia asked.

"I don't know, Sofia."

"Are you the Hulk?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, Lucas, I'm the Hulk."

The rest of the car journey was a lot like that, until we, at last, parked up in the car park outside Sofia's block of flats. Mum and Lucas decided they would stay in the car, evidently not wanting to overcrowd Sofia as she said goodbye to her father, and so it was just me that accompanied her.

Sofia's flat was on the very top level. It was small, but very nicely done up. Mr Moretti was the sous chef at Prezzo, and so the kitchen was very nice and full, and the place was always clean and tidy, as Sofia was a downright clean freak. I always loved staying at their flat; it had such a nice atmosphere. An atmosphere which I had a feeling was going to be very tense when news let out.

Mrs Moretti, Sofia's Italian grandmother, answered the door. Mrs Moretti is a very passionate woman, and very affectionate towards Sofia, and even myself. She was a family woman, so I worried about how she would take the news that her only grandchild was leaving. She didn't actually live with Sofia and her father, but spent pretty much all her days there, ever since Sofia's grandfather died when she was eight. She loved her grandmother to death, but was often exasperated by her.

"Sofia! You're back sooner than we thought, and Scarlet too! Come in, and dry up. Sofia, you wear inappropriate clothing, you look like a common chav, you should be more like Scarlet, see, a nice skirt, _covered up_."

Sofia put on a fake smile and apologised to her grandmother, while I looked away awkwardly. Mrs Moretti often compared Sofia to me, which was highly embarrassing. Soon enough, Mr Moretti came to the rescue.

"Mama, leave Sofia alone, she's fourteen, let her have some fun. Hi Scarlet." He nodded in my direction.

"Dad, I'm really sorry, but I need to leave." Sofia said quietly. Mr Moretti shut his eyes, as though he was expecting this, while Mrs Moretti began to fire questions at Sofia.

"What are you saying? Don't be silly, what has caused this? What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? No, I don't agree to this." In the end, all four of us found ourselves sat on the small, square, dining table, with cups of strong coffee in our hands.

"Explain yourself." Mrs Moretti demanded of her granddaughter. Sofia looked pleadingly at her father for help.

"Mama, why don't you go and buy us some chocolate?"

"You don't tell me what to do, Matthew, I am your mother, you do what _I _say."

"Okay, I'm asking you; please can you go and buy some chocolate."

Mrs Moretti glared at us all suspiciously, then slowly rose, grabbed her bag, vowed to be back soon and left. As soon as she was out the door, Mr Moretti spoke.

"Camp Half-Blood?" He simply asked his daughter.

Sofia nodded sadly. "Miss Swan explained to us earlier, I'm sorry Dad."

"Don't be sorry, sweetheart. I knew today would come at some point. I just hoped I would have more time."

"I will only stay during the summer. I'll be back by September. I promise."

"Don't promise me." Mr Moretti sighed. "Things could change."

None of us spoke for a few moments.

"I don't suppose you know who my mother was?" Sofia asked tentatively.

"Not a clue."

"And I don't suppose you could tell me… how you met?" Sofia had never been told the story. Her father had been a lot more secretive than my mother, who relished in telling the tale. I think I respected Mr Moretti for that. I think it made the whole thing more personal, as it was clearly kept a secret because it hurt Mr Moretti to talk about. I feel as though my mum liked to brag that she knew somebody like my dad. I also felt as though I was intruding in a deep moment between father and daughter, and had half a mind to escape to the toilet before the talk began, but that would be rude of me. And I was also nosy.

"We met when I was at the small restaurant in Soho." Mr Moretti started. "I was a new chef at the time, and she came in. Why a goddess would want to go to _that _place I do not know. But she did, and I happened to be the one to prepare her meal. She liked it, and wanted to see me. And she was so beautiful, Sofia. Like you. She wanted me to cook for her again, and so I invited her back. I lived in such a dingy flat back then, I hoped it wouldn't put her off, and it didn't. She and I had a fleeting relationship, for she said she was just passing through London, and then she soon left. Nine months later, I was more successful, having just secured this flat, and gotten the job at Prezzo. I think she had something to do with my good fortune. Or maybe she didn't want her daughter to be brought up in such a crap hole. But then nine months later, you arrived. In a golden cradle, carried by Zephyr the West Wind, and with a note, explaining everything. I was so shocked, it was sudden, having a daughter thrown upon me like that, but it was a lovely surprise. And that was the story, Sofia. And now it's time for you to go to Camp Half-Blood."

Sofia stayed silent for some time, taking in the story. I think she was hoping for something more spectacular, but still, she smiled stood.

"Scarlet, come and help me pack?" Of course I agreed, and the two of us headed into her quite small, quite pink room. It was immaculately clean, and the pink walls were scattered with pictures. She immediately got a small, brown leather suitcase out from her wardrobe and pretty much packed every bit of clothing she owned, her two make up bags, and curling tongs. There was no room left for her vast collection of shoes, which is where I came in.

"Sofia, we're going to a training camp for demigods. You will not need four pairs of high heels."

"Yeah, but you never know." She argued, frowning at her shoes.

"I think I do… look, just pack one. And your converses. That is all you need."

Sofia didn't look happy about it, but she did. After the struggle of zipping her suitcase shut, she sighed.

"It's all very weird, this. I'm quite scared."

"There's nothing to be scared about. There's more to be scared about staying here, where monsters can attack us, than there."

"Our lives are changing, Scarley. Doesn't that intimidate you?"

The truth was, it did very much. But I wasn't going to admit that. Especially to Sofia, for I'd always been the strong one in our friendship. I couldn't turn around and admit fear. That just couldn't be done.

"Not at all." I instead smiled. "We have each other, right? Like always. That will never change."

"No, it won't." Sofia smiled back, and then giggled. "Remember in year four when we got put in separate teams for Rounders, and I cried and you kicked up a fuss and ended up having to sit out?"

"Yep, I do remember. Vividly. It was a bit like the time we got kicked off the train to Cornwall because we got put in seats away from each other and so I just sat in the one next to you, even though somebody had reserved it."

"That sucked, I was looking forward to that holiday."

"But the point is, that won't happen here. We can stick together."

"Even if it turns out our parents are enemies?" Sofia grinned.

"I very much doubt that is the case. I mean, look at us."

"Two screw ups."

"But by the sounds of it… we're not."

"Well, you won't be. I'll be a stupid demigod."

"Don't talk nonsense." I scoffed. "You'll be brilliant."

"You're lying." Sofia looked down.

"I am not!"

"You are."

"Not, not, not, now let's stop arguing about it and lug this suitcase to my mother's car."

Sofia did her best to drag it, but I had to step in or else we were not going to get anywhere. And as if we needed delaying anymore, Mrs Moretti returned, with a huge bag of chocolate with her.

"What is that bag? Where is she going?" She demanded. Sofia looked incredibly under pressure, while I just stepped back slightly. I didn't want to intrude the family talk.

"She's going to stay with her mother." Mr Moretti burst out. He seemed to have slightly surprised himself by this lie. Mrs Moretti, true to character, then started her questioning.

"Her mother? The mother I have never met? That _she _has never met? I won't allow it, Matthew; I think she should stay here."

"It's been planned for some time, Mother. Sofia's been looking forward it for ages, haven't you darling?"

"Yes!" Sofia chirped.

"Then why is Scarlet here?" Mrs Moretti glared suspiciously at me. I raised my eyebrows slightly but said nothing. I never did with Mrs Moretti, and she was probably the only person who I could say that about.

"Scarlet is giving Sofia moral support." Mr Moretti was really getting into this lying, I was becoming quite alarmed.

"Yes." I added earnestly.

"And Scarlet's mother has kindly agreed to drop her off, because I wanted to spend this afternoon with my own mother."

Sofia looked at me, wide eyed at her father's story, while I just looked amused. Mrs Moretti seemed to be won over by her son.

"Hm. When will I see my granddaughter again?" She sniffed, becoming resigned to the fact Sofia will be leaving.

"She'll be away for the summer." Mr Moretti simply said. Mrs Moretti frowned, before pulling Sofia in for a massive hug. Sofia tripped slightly. The passionate grandmother didn't show any sign of letting her go. When at last she did, I noticed Sofia's eyes change to a melancholic blue, and become slightly watery. I pursed my lips, concerned. Her father announced that she would say goodbye to Sofia outside, and so Mrs Moretti crammed in a whole summer holiday's worth of fretting, until Sofia cut her off, however, seeming to feel guilty instantly. They hugged again, and then Sofia led the way out.

Not one of us spoke as we took the lift downstairs. Sofia looked incredibly affected by the goodbye from her grandmother and appeared to be bracing herself for an even worse one, and I imagined Mr Moretti was feeling the same. I looked down, the feeling that I should not be there increasing by the second.

The rain had completely gone, and the sun was beginning to shine through the miserable grey clouds. Once outside, I decided I should really leave them be.

"I'm going to go and sit in the car." I announced. "Hopefully see you soon, Mr Moretti."

"Take care of yourself, Scarlet." He responded. I smiled at him gratefully, and quickly rushed off to the car. I still had Sofia's suitcase, which I put in the boot. Once I got inside, I saw how Mum was staring out the window, apparently thinking deeply, while Lucas was singing.

"We, are never, ever, ever, getting back together." He sang to me. I looked at him, and he stopped singing.

"Taylor Swift. Why?" I sighed.

"Romeo take me, somewhere we can be alone…" He burst out again, and I let out a weep and threw my head back.

"How's the glamour model?" He asked.

"She seems… I don't know, scared. I left her to say goodbye to her dad on her own, but I feel like I maybe should have stayed." I mused.

"Nah, you were best off leaving." Lucas decided. "Wouldn't want to get in the way of that, would you?"

"No." I agreed.

"How are you bearing up? Let me guess; you don't care, and you'll kill me for asking?"

"Lucas!" I protested, glaring at him.

"DON'T KILL ME!" He shrieked.

"Very funny. And as a matter of fact, I do care. It is a bit of a shock, but then my whole life is one huge shock."

"One huge electric shock." Lucas agreed.

The car door suddenly swung open and Sofia swept inside, sat down, slammed the door shut again and looked away from us. Mum came out of her daydream and looked behind her. I looked at Sofia, concerned, while Lucas looked down, almost shamefully. I was sandwiched between two sad friends, and I wanted to comfort them but would probably say the wrong thing anyway.

"Chin up guys." I said with false cheeriness. "Camp Half-Blood awaits."

Mum then put her foot on the accelerator, just as Sofia let out a sob. I turned to her instinctively and put an arm around her.

"You'll see him again soon." I consoled.

"But I might not, and I'm going to miss him so much!"

I didn't really know what to say, so I just rubbed her shoulder. Lucas was nervously singing Taylor Swift under his breath. Mum was staying uncharacteristically silent, and I wondered if she was thinking about _our _goodbye. Nevertheless, this really was it. We were off. We were off to Camp Half-Blood.


	5. Chapter Five - An Impossible Place

The car journey where nobody spoke. I had spent so much of my time since finding out the truth about everything worrying about Sofia, dealing with monsters in my garden and hurriedly leaving my home of twelve years, so I hadn't really had time to think about my own feelings.

So I was feeling scared. I didn't like that, and nobody could possibly know. I was feeling angry, angry about how my dad abandoned us, and how he could have helped me with all the monsters and the difficulties at school. Yet, at the same time, I wanted him to be proud of me, which just angered me more.

You would think that I would not have believed the demigod story when I was told it. But, maybe it was because I was so desperate for there to be a reason behind all the crazy things in my life. Maybe it was because I always had an idea. But I did believe it. And I was oddly excited to see Camp Half-Blood. Finally, a safe place. It made me feel a bit strange, to know just how different I was from other kids. Heck, I wasn't even fully human. But I hoped that Camp Half-Blood would bring tranquillity. I just hoped that Sofia would soon see it like that.

Sofia quietly sniffled, tucking her head in a corner and not looking at anyone. She took things quite emotionally a lot of the time. It was one of the reasons I worried about her so much; I felt as though she would snap otherwise. I didn't try and speak to her, for I knew that it might make things worse.

Lucas stared straight at the back of my mum's seat. He seemed to be thinking about something, and, again, I had learned not to ask him about it. I had to try and keep it together for my friends' sake. It annoyed me so much that they weren't happy.

"What's it like being a satyr?" I decided to ask Lucas. He jumped, and then looked at me suspiciously. When he realised I wasn't taking the mickey out of him, he smiled.

"Better than being a filthy demigod." He smirked. "We have an awesome life. Live twice as long, as well."

"So you live to about 200?" I asked.

"Yes. I'm twenty eight, didn't you know?" He looked amused as he watched my face look incredibly shocked, and even Sofia looked round, her eyes tear rimmed, yet her perfectly plucked eyebrows were raised.

"Twenty eight?" She repeated, surprised.

"Yes, we age twice as slow. Can't you tell by how much mature I am than you two?" His joke had a desired effect. Sofia laughed, perhaps not her usual bell like laugh, but still a laugh. I just shook my head, my eyebrows pulled together. I was secretly pleased that my simple question seemed to have cheered them both up.

Mum, suddenly, parked the car. She had just pulled off the M25 onto some A-road. I hadn't really been paying attention as to where she was going, but it definitely concerned me that she had just parked up at a lay-by.

"Mum, I think you've lost it." I said warily.

"Don't be silly, Scarlet. Just behind that hill is Camp Half-Blood." I didn't look out for a hill, I just looked at my mother and she looked at me. Neither of us often had a heart to heart, and so I really didn't know what to say to her.

"Bye, Mum." I settled with, pursing my lips and looking down.

"Scarlet." She said with sudden urgency. I looked up. "Be good. Be safe." Tears now filled my mum's eyes, which caused my eyes to fill.

"I'll try." I croaked out. Then I shook my head, embarrassed. "But I'll see you soon anyway." I decided.

"Yeah. Now go! Go and have fun." Mum smiled. I took a deep breath, said goodbye again, picked up my rucksack off the car floor and then the three of us climbed out.

"Are you okay, Scarley?" Sofia asked softly, once we were all out. She took her suitcase out of the boot.

"Fine." I scoffed. "Let's go."

Just as we began to climb the surprisingly steep hill, I sensed something was not right. I could hear roars, and shouts, and could smell something absolutely foul. I hoped this wasn't just typical Camp Half-Blood, and by Lucas' confused expression, I guessed that it wasn't. Curious, I climbed further, and then recoiled from an unpleasant surprise.

A boy, about our age - who looked incredibly tatty and rough - was fighting what appeared to be an ogre. It was bigger than the Cyclops - far bigger, more giant like - and was covered in tattoos. It stunk to high heaven and pointed sharp teeth at the boy, who looked highly alarmed as the giant ogre began to throw balls of flames at him.

"Laistrygonian giant." Lucas muttered fretfully.

"What?" I asked. As soon as I spoke, the giant looked at me. I gulped and stared wide eyed at the dreaded creature. It then decided to attack _me_.

"We need to get into camp borders, it can't get us there!" Lucas shouted.

"And just _leave _it here?" I asked incredulously, jumping out the way of a flame attack.

"Demigods die!" It roared unintelligently.

"We need to cross, Scarlet!" He shouted more urgently now.

"No." I decided. I had no idea _how _I was going to destroy it without the celestial bronze Mum mentioned, but I would. I really –

And apparently not. Lucas now grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the other side of the border. I didn't understand why the boy didn't just do that to begin with, and then I began to observe something. He was limping. And every time he tried to move, the pain seemed to stop him, and then the monster would strike.

"We have to do something." Sofia exclaimed. "We can't let him die."

Impulsively, I ran out. Sofia and Lucas simultaneously groaned. I dodged a ball of fire and reached the boy.

"Lean on me." I demanded. He looked at me, surprised, and did so. I then more or less tried to carry him to safety. This took a lot of effort, being as he was taller and larger than me, but I managed. Once across the barrier, I instantly let go. He collapsed to the floor, while I tried to catch my breath back. Lucas and Sofia instantly rushed over to the boy. I turned around, and decided that I better had also.

He was battered and bruised, so I could only gather that he had been on the run. He had jet black hair and large hazel eyes, and was highly muscular. He looked straight at me when I kneeled down next to him.

"Thank you." He said.

"That's alright." I replied, also awkward. "I'm Scarlet."

"Dean." He responded. His eyes then turned to Lucas and Sofia, then mainly Sofia. He responded as the typical boy did to Sofia, his eyes widened and he reddened somewhat. Sofia noticed this and pursed her lips to stop herself smiling, embarrassed.

"My name's Sofia." She informed. Lucas huffed.

"And I'm Lucas. Anybody notice that? No. Nobody notices the satyr."

"I noticed you, Lucas." I sighed, to stop him from protesting. Sofia stood up, and offered her hand to Dean.

"Come on." She smiled. Dean, disbelievingly, took her hand. She then offered him a shoulder to lean on as they both stumbled down the hill together. I stared after them, shocked. Did Sofia like him? Lots of boys had fancied Sofia over the years, but she had never taken to any of them. Yet here she was.

"Scarlet, get a move on." Lucas joked. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down the hill. I didn't really take in my surroundings, I was utterly sure that I would be taken around soon anyway. What I was taking in was that Sofia had so suddenly found herself somebody.

Almost straight away, we came across a huge house. It had four floors, and steps that led up to a decking that surrounded the house. It looked like a holiday home, and it was painted white, only peeling. Sofia and Dean waited for us by the steps.

"Is this where we need to go?" Sofia asked. Lucas nodded.

"It is indeed." He grinned. "Oh, does anybody have the time?"

I looked at my wrist, even though I knew full well I wasn't wearing a watch. Dean, however, did have a watch, and informed Lucas that the time was twenty past three.

"Okay, so Chiron will be busy teaching the Aphrodite cabin archery… so, I advise you guys be on your best behaviour… Scarlet… for we must deal with Mr D, aka the god Dionysus, who does not like demigods."

"Who's Chiron?" I demanded, as I stomped up the stairs after my friends. "And is…"

Lucas jabbed me in the ribs, because we had just walked around the decking and we came across what must have been the god. Although he didn't look much like a god. He had hair so black it was almost purple, and it curly. His eyes were a watery, bloodshot blue, and his face was pudgy. He wore an orange leopard print shirt, and he, very obviously, looked a bit like a cherub. Looking at him, you knew he was no stranger to alcohol. I stopped talking and looked at Sofia, who was looking gobsmacked back at me. The god looked up and groaned.

"Lucas Crop, you went and brought three of them back with you. And my day was going so well."

"Uh, Mr D…"

"Yes, you had better sit here and wait for Chiron to return. And I had better formally welcome you to Camp Half-Blood. I am Mr D, camp director… sit down then!"

We all hurriedly sat down, Mr D glaring at us as we did so. I was beginning to dislike this god. He really did not seem to have any care for us as we sat there. Sofia looked down, seeming to look slightly shy all of a sudden. I had an idea why, and Dean, too, seemed to be looking very uncomfortable. Lucas winked at me, but I ignored him. Finally, after what must have only been a few minutes but seemed like an eternity, Mr D sighed. He put down his now empty can dramatically and looked around.

"I suppose I'm going to have to fill out your forms now. Lucas, go and get them."

Lucas gulped and ran off. I looked at Mr D, confused.

"Why are you even the camp director?" I was quite annoyed that Mr D treated Lucas like that, and once again, my big gob preceded me. Mr D raised his eyebrows at me.

"Good question, insolent child. My father, Zeus, found out that I had chased an off limits wood nymph, and has sentenced me here for one hundred years."

I raised my eyebrows judgingly, and before I could dig the hole deeper, Lucas returned, three forms in toe. Good timing, I thought, or else the god would probably have killed me.

Mr D took the three forms and looked around. "Let's start with the boy." He said decidedly. I started to protest but then Lucas, again, jabbed me with his crutch. I glared at him and made a mental note to kill him later on.

"Name?" The god demanded.

"Dean Crown." Dean said uncertainly.

"Date of birth."

"Fifteenth of the second, ninety-nine."

"Mother or father the god?"

"My mother is Demeter."

Sofia, Lucas and I all simultaneously raised an eyebrow. How did he know who his parent was? Who was Demeter?

"Demeter… goddess of harvest and agriculture… and a silly, absent minded woman." Mr D wrote the first part whilst speaking aloud, but the last part was evidently his own opinion. "Daniel Criss, you'll be in Cabin Four."

"It's Dean Crown, actually." Dean retorted.

"Whatever." Mr D said absently.

"No, not whatever…" Dean muttered. I bit my lip to stop myself laughing, my respect for the boy increasing, while Lucas and Sofia seemed horrified. Mr D glared at Dean, but nevertheless went on to fill out our forms. He moved onto Sofia, who he called 'undetermined' because she didn't know what goddess her mother was. He then moved onto me.

"Scarlet-Rose Calypso Swan…" He wrote down without asking me my name. And he knew my _full_ name…

"How did you know that?" I asked suspiciously.

"You're the demigod Chiron went to keep an eye on, I knew the minute I saw you. You're undetermined, and born on the nineteenth of August, ninety nine."

"How do you _know_ this? And I have never met this Chiron in my life!" I burst out, frustrated.

"Yes you have, Scarlet." A familiar voice behind me said. I turned, only to see the strangest thing I had yet to see. My favourite teacher, Mr Ronich… only it wasn't. You see, from the body upwards, it was Mr Ronich. But, the rest of him…

"Mr Ronich, you're half a horse!" Sofia squeaked.

"A centaur, Sofia." Mr Ronich corrected. "And I would prefer you to call me Chiron. I am the activities director here at Camp Half-Blood."

"Chiron… my father told me about you." Dean spoke up, slightly quiet after his outburst earlier, which I could completely relate to. Clearly he was like me by how we spoke without thinking. "You trained all the heroes in the old stories…"

"That I did. Zeus granted me immortality, as long as there are heroes to be trained. So here I am." He smiled.

"I've seen you nearly every day since September." I muttered, glaring up at him. "Yet you didn't tell me or Sofia who we were. And neither did Lucas. Why was that?"

"I am sorry, Scarlet. We had to observe you, before we told you anything."

"I don't know why, she's an awfully bratty child." Mr D commented casually. "And very small."

"I'm not that small." I snapped at him. His watery eyes were filled with purple fire; his fury was evident.

"Dionysus!" Chiron reprimanded, and the fire in his eyes disappeared. "I am sorry for not telling you who I really was Scarlet, but it had to be done. I am very pleased that you made it safely to camp, however."

"Not quite." Lucas corrected, and told the story. Chiron didn't look surprised.

"Demigods often have trouble making it through. It sounds like you had the luck of the gods on your side, Dean. Not many would have survived that."

Dean smiled, and absentmindedly glanced at Sofia, who was smiling admirably.

"Anyway!" Chiron exclaimed. "I believe it's time to show you all around Camp Half-Blood."

"Thank goodness." Mr D sighed with relief, as we left the table on the decking and made our way down the steps. My first observation of Camp Half-Blood was that the weather seemed to be perfect. Apparently the weather is controlled by Mr D, and the sun shone brilliantly, and the temperature was warm, but not to the point of being sticky and uncomfortable.

The first place Chiron took us to was the volleyball court, where an intense game between some demigods and some satyrs was taking place. Apparently this happened often when lessons ended. A ball flew at the speed of lightning, just missing Chiron. The demigod who threw it looked horrified.

"Sorry!" She shouted, as a boy on her team ran to collect it.

"Keep a closer eye out next time, April." Chiron smiled. He then showed us the forges, where two boys and a girl were all working hard on something, but we couldn't go inside. Apparently the three children of Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and fire, were quite serious about not being interrupted whilst working on a project.

The next place was far more interesting. The amphitheatre, a semicircle of ancient Greek style stone benches that rose up, all facing a circle of stone, which contained a constant bonfire. According to Chiron, the colour and size depended on the mood of the campers. The fire was practically non-existent when we arrived, but it then grew slightly and became a bright orange. We were informed that campers often had sing-alongs and stuff there every night.

Then there was the climbing wall, which was extraordinary. Lava would pour down, which the climbers would have to dodge, whilst boulders would also drop.

"The satyrs have always been the best at this." Lucas bragged.

"We'll see about that." I responded, vowing to beat him at it sooner or later.

Chiron then took us across the lake, where he showed us the dining pavilion. Twelve tables, that were all next to each other, with numbers on them. The odd numbers were all next to each other, in ascending order up until 11. Then next to that was 12, and then all the even numbers descended down, leaving 1 and 2 in the middle. The tables were surrounded by Greek columns that had blazing torches. The tables had white cloth with a purple trim. There was also another blazing fire, which was much smaller than the other one. Chiron told us that the table determines what cabin we are in - and that the fire was there for at every meal we made a sacrifice to the gods.

"What do we sacrifice? Each other?" I asked, irritated with this. Why should the gods be worshipped? I didn't want to worship anybody.

"No, food, you idiot." Lucas mocked. I pulled a face at him.

The next, and last, part of our tour was the most interesting part. The twelve cabins. The cabins were shaped in a U formation, with Cabin One and Cabin Two at the head, with the evens down the line from two, and the odds from one. Cabins One and Two were both the biggest cabins - both white and made out of marble, with big oak double doors. They differed in that Cabin One had holographic images of lightning and heavy pillars out the front, while Cabin Two had thin pillars, garlanded with flowers and pomegranates. Chiron caught me staring at them.

"They're the cabins for Zeus and Hera. Nobody ever stays in them, though, as Hera only has children with Zeus, while Zeus, Poseidon and Hades never have children with mortals."

I nodded slowly and then looked around at the others. Along the god line, was a low grey building made of stone - the Poseidon cabin - which must also have been empty. Then a horrible roughly painted red cabin, with the ceiling lined with barbed wire and the head of a wild boar above the door. Then one that was solid gold, and one that looked like a factory, with brick walls and smokestacks, followed by a boring brown cabin with peeling paint and a caduceus above the door, and lastly one covered with grape vines.

On the goddess side, there was a cabin with tomato and flower vines growing up around it, with a grass roof, next to a simple grey cabin, with white curtains and an owl above the door. A glowing silver cabin was next to a wooden cabin with a blue roof and blue pillars.

"You go to the cabin of your Olympian parent." Chiron informed us. "Each cabin has a head counsellor. Dean, you will go to Cabin Four where Rebecca will be your head counsellor, and as Scarlet and Sofia are undetermined, they will go in the Hermes cabin, Cabin Eleven, where Amber is the head counsellor."

"As you can all tell, I'm in the Aphrodite cabin." Lucas said seriously. Dean burst out laughing, and Sofia and I rolled our eyes.

"I will leave you kids to it." Chiron announced. "I hope you settle into your cabins well."

And with that, he walked away. The four of us all looked around at each other, not sure what to say.

"I'd better go and visit my satyr homies." Lucas informed us, and before I could comment, he, too, ran off.

"To the cabins?" Dean suggested.

"We'll see you later." I added.

"Yeah… bye." Sofia smiled, and Dean blushed, before turning and heading to the flowery Cabin Four. I raised an eyebrow at Sofia.

"What?" She asked nervously.

"Dean Crown." I simply stated, half pleased for Sofia, and half paranoid about this sudden change.

"What about him?" She fretted, putting her hair behind her ears while I just ignored her and smiled knowingly as we reached Cabin Eleven. Sofia looked at me, slightly anxious, and so I swallowed, before opening the door.

The cabin was absolutely packed. It was simplistic, with wooden floor and a door leading to a bathroom. There wasn't much space for anything other than the eight bunk beds and eight sleeping bags on the floor, all an off white colour. The huge number of campers that seemed to inhabit this cabin all turned around to look at us. I noticed that so many of the campers here had common features; upturned eyebrows, sharp noses and were smiling mischievously at us. Then there were others, a minority, who, like us, must have been the undetermined campers. Everybody waited for somebody else to speak. Then, finally, someone stood.

The girl, or perhaps I should stay woman, was the eldest in the cabin. She had the features I had noticed, along with shoulder length bright red hair, green eyes and very tall, with a slight tan. She wore an orange camp T-shirt, and khaki green skinny three-quarter lengths. She looked sisterly, but the mischievous look in her eyes took away the illusion slightly.

"Newbies?" She guessed. Sofia nodded.

"Yeah." I answered. The girl, who must have been Amber, walked up to us.

"I'm Amber White, head counsellor." She appraised us. "I'm guessing you're both undetermined?"

"Yeah." I said again. The whole cabin groaned in sync. Amber rolled her eyes.

"Ignore them. They're just concerned about the… well, lack of space… but don't worry! We'll find you room."

Amber then turned to her siblings and fellow cabin members.

"I am going to nick… what's your names?" She quickly asked. We told her. "Scarlet and Sofia some sleeping bags and some camp T-shirts. I want you to leave them be, got it?" She pointed at them threateningly. Then, with a quick wink at us, she darted off. The campers all did what Amber said and engaged in conversation with one another, although every now and then they'd look at us, as though guessing how long we would be with them and who our parents were.

Sofia and I made our way through the sleeping bags on the floor to find ourselves a bit of floor space to sit down on. We, quite fortunately, managed to find a quite secluded spot for us to start our rapid discussion about our discoveries.

"So this is camp." Sofia said.

"Seems cool." I commented.

"Dean is so nice!" She exclaimed.

"Hope we get claimed." I grumbled, very aware I could be spending all summer on the floor.

"I'm sure we will." Sofia smiled. I agreed half-heartedly, not wanting to crush her hopes. This, apparently, happened sooner than I thought.

Sofia transformed in front of my very eyes. I wasn't quite sure what had taken place, but Sofia was wearing a sleeveless, graceful white dress, her hair combed and neatly braided with gold, the dirt wiped off her face and perfect makeup taking its place. A pink haze seemed to surround her. Sofia, at first, didn't realise why we were all staring at her. Then she looked down and gasped.

"Why do I look like this?" She exclaimed.

"Well," Amber was standing by the doorway, carrying two sleeping bags and two orange T-shirts. "You've been claimed."

"By who?" I demanded.

"Aphrodite. Goddess of love and beauty." Amber grinned. "You won't be needing this sleeping bag… they actually have spare bunks in that cabin."

Amber carelessly slung one of the sleeping bags aside. "Hugo, take Sofia to Cabin Ten. Lilia, go and tell Chiron that Sofia Moretti has been claimed."

"So I need to leave? Now?" She asked softly.

"Yep. No point hanging around here." Amber shrugged.

"Go, daughter of Aphrodite." I smiled.

Sofia got up and followed Hugo, looking back at me, her face full of shock and confusion. I merely stared back at her, this overwhelming sense of paranoia creeping through me. What if I never got claimed? That wouldn't do, I _had _to get claimed. But I might not…

Amber parked herself where Sofia had sat, putting the sleeping bag down next to me with an orange T-shirt on top.

"You'll be next, kiddo." She promised.

"Really?" I asked, more anxiety in my voice than I would have liked. I regained control, and sighed. "I don't care either way, to be honest. I'm a demigod, and that's that."

"Alright then." She nodded slowly, amused.

"Don't you believe me?" I challenged.

"Scarlet, the amount of demigods that have come through here saying they don't care, but in reality do… I really couldn't begin to tell you."

"Well I'm not 'one of those people'." I frowned.

"Okay, then."

"So Aphrodite is Sofia's mother?" I changed the subject quickly, sensing that Amber could see straight through me.

"Yep. Kind of obvious though, weren't it?"

"No." I said defensively. Then a thought occurred to me. "Amber, can I ask you something?"

"Go on."

"Why are some of the cabins unoccupied? Chiron said something about Zeus, Poseidon and Hades not having kids?"

"Oh." Amber's mischievous smile faltered slightly. "They're the Big Three gods. They have very, _very_ powerful kids, which can be dangerous. End of."

"All demigods are powerful." I said scornfully, not trusting for a minute that Amber was telling me the whole truth.

"Watch it." Amber warned, but winked. I stopped glaring. A conch horn sounded in the distance, signalling dinner. Amber patted me on the shoulder then stood up.

"Eleven fall in!" She cried. The whole of my cabin filed outside, where we were to line up. Amber was at the front, and even though I was the newest I made sure I was next to her. Looking around, I realised that Cabin Eleven was by far the biggest cabin, and it intrigued me somewhat to see the others. Sofia's cabin was led by an older, paler version of her, with brown hair; incredibly beautiful, basically. Dean's cabin was led by a floaty, absent minded looking girl, with similar features to Dean, only seemed very sharp and serious.

Evening seemed to fall much quicker at camp. The torches were enormously bright - the orange burning passionately - giving the place an almost homely feel to it.

I ended up perked on the end of Table Eleven, purely because I was new, and small, however I had Amber sat next to me. She was already becoming a source of comfort, not that I would admit that. Amber had this safe aura about her, and it was nice to have somebody else being the leader, if just in a cabin.

Wood nymphs… yes, wood nymphs (at this point in my day I hardly even reacted), carried around trays of food. Barbecue chicken, salad, thin crust margarita pizza, and some plain, whole meal pasta. It was then that I realised just how hungry I was and completely piled my plate up. Amber looked approvingly at me, as she stood up holding her mountain of food. I looked around me and realised that everybody seemed to be doing the same.

"What's going on?" I asked Amber, confused.

"Sacrifice to the gods." Amber informed me. I groaned, remembering that part of the tour, and followed suit. Once arriving at the fire, I didn't know what to do. Amber said 'To Hermes', but I didn't have anyone to say that to. Growing angrier, I just chucked in a bit of cucumber and sat back down.

"You're right, kid." Amber muttered. I looked up at her, confused slightly. "There _is _more to the Big Three story than I said."

I looked up, eyebrows raised. "I knew it." I said confidently. Amber laughed, and I smiled begrudgingly. I waited for her to continue what she was saying, but she appeared to have forgotten. I coughed impatiently and she jolted back to tell me the story.

"There's a prophecy." Amber muttered. "About one of their kids being a potential problem in the future. I don't know which god it is, or the problem, but there is a prophecy."

"When was this prophecy?"

"Absolutely ages ago, I doubt it will happen for ages either."

"Yeah." I didn't really care; it didn't concern me.

We didn't speak for the rest of the night, and I didn't really think about what she said. I saw Sofia, looking relaxed with her sisters - getting to know them all and fitting in at camp. I tried to do the same, and I think I made some progress with Cabin Eleven… although it was difficult trusting them. That would come. They were a little bit annoying as well. But I went to bed… or to my sleeping bag… a reasonably happy girl. Perhaps angry that my dad hadn't claimed me, and the whole drama with the prank in the Cabin Eleven bathroom was just ridiculous, but I was kind of happy… kind of. There was a funny feeling that I could not shake off… but I always had a funny feeling I could never shake off.


	6. Chapter Six - The Eagle Lands

"Wake up, kiddo." I vaguely heard my head counsellor shake me awake. My eyes flickered open and I became aware of the rest of the cabin getting ready.

"It's Sunday." I protested, feeling tired and irritable, having had an awful night sleep. "Go away."

"Well unless you want to miss an 8 o'clock breakfast, I'd get up." Amber joked, but in a way that made me feel I had no choice _but _to get up. I evidently did not look at all happy for she went on to say. "But Sunday is a day off, unless you're a head counsellor - no Cabin Inspection or lessons - so you can just chill with your friends."

I liked that idea, and so, after an annoyingly healthy breakfast of fruit, porridge, scrambled egg and wholemeal toast (I went for the toast), I gathered up Sofia, Lucas and Dean and we made our way down to the beach.

Usually, I despised beaches, purely because of all the people… and the sea. My biggest secret - something even Sofia didn't know – was that I had a phobia of water. I couldn't bear to be around any natural water… the shower I could just about cope with. But nobody could know about that.

"So, how are you all settling in?" Lucas asked, in a mockingly motherly tone.

"Cabin Ten is so lovely!" Sofia sighed. "It's all clean, and wooden floor, and the bed sheets have pink silk, and the bathroom is all glistening and white. My sisters are lovely too, especially Alexandra, she's so welcoming."

"Four's… good." Dean shrugged. "Yeah, my sisters are nice… would quite like some brothers. She did make us tidy up though. We don't even _have _a Cabin Inspection on Sundays."

"But that's fun!" Sofia exclaimed. "We did this morning too."

Dean nodded, shyly looking at the ground, while Sofia was looking at him and smiling.

"This is interesting." I grumbled without thinking.

"She's so sweet, this one." Lucas nudged me. "So _cute_."

"Lucas I will rip your horns off." I threatened.

"You got to chase me first!" He leapt up and bolted, and Dean and I followed - Sofia laughing behind us. We ran past amused looking campers until we came to the climbing wall.

"Right, you and me, Scarley." He challenged.

"You're on." I responded.

Naturally, as he had the legs of a goat, my friend won, after he easily climbed up and dodged all the obstacles, whilst I was finding it incredibly difficult, only managing to reach a quarter of the way up before he won. This left me incredibly pissed off.

"If you weren't a goat," I said, as we walked slowly back to the beach, "I would have won."

"Yes, but I am, so I win! Ha! You lose, Scarlet."

"I will rip your horns off." I once again threatened.

Suddenly, my three friends gasped. I looked at them suspiciously, not liking the way they were staring at me.

"What is it?" I snapped. "Tell me what it…"

I looked up, and found myself looking at a lightning bolt, floating above my head. Lightning… Zeus… prophecy… I was thinking rapidly, a rarity for me, as I took in what was actually happening.

Before I knew it, Chiron had appeared in front of us, as though he could sense that something had happened. He took one look at the sign and another mournful look at me. He knew what this meant.

"Scarlet Swan, Daughter of Zeus." He announced. I felt utterly overwhelmed.

"It can't be." I argued. "No… it definitely…"

At that moment, I was then being told to move into Cabin One and had Sofia and Lucas rapidly discussing how unexpected it was, until I finally managed to shut them out. Everything was a blur to me; I was hardly aware of Sofia taking me to Cabin Eleven to collect my things, or Amber giving me a quick hug before I walked in a daze to my new home. I was sure that I was getting stares but I wasn't noticing at all. I wasn't even thinking, really. I'd never really prepared myself to actually find out who my father was. I'd labelled him as two (minus the obscenities) things. 'Stranger who doesn't exist' and then 'a god'. Him actually having a name had put me into a state of shock. Especially him being a god that was… a 'Big Three', that wasn't supposed to even _have _kids. Then the prophecy. Zeus. My dad's name was Zeus.

I cautiously stepped into the cabin, after being steered there by Lucas and had the door opened for me. The magnificent doors shut loudly behind me, with a startling bang, causing me to jolt back into reality and see inside my cabin for the first time.

The cabin was cold and empty. It was a grand place, with a statue of Zeus in traditional Greek clothes in the centre. That was my father. I stared at it, a lump forming in my throat, but not an emotional lump - an angry lump. This was the man who abandoned me.

The ceiling was dome shaped, decorated with moving mosaics of a cloudy sky and lightning bolts. There were alcoves with golden eagle statues and eight bunk beds with dark silk bedding. The cabin would occasionally thunder and dust was gathering on the floor. I dumped my bag on a nearby bed and climbed to the top bunk.

I processed everything that had happened. The day that I had been here, I was accepted as a normal demigod. Now look… from what I could tell from my short journey from Cabin Eleven to Cabin One, they had all looked at me so expectantly, so fearfully. As if they had to be wary around me. I sat gloomily on my bunk, glaring at the statue of Zeus until a knock at the door summoned me out of my thoughts.

"Come in." I called. Amber then walked in and looked at me just as she always had, which was a huge relief to me.

"You missed lunch?" She questioned. That was all she had to say. No questions about my dramatic claiming, or the prophecy, but lunch.

"Oh, forgot." I simply replied.

"Well, head counsellor meeting starts in a minute."

"And?"

"And _you're _a head counsellor now." That realisation hit me. Now I had responsibilities. Me and responsibilities did not go.

"I'm the only one in my cabin!" I protested.

"Even so. Come on, it's fun sometimes."

I considered this, and then jumped down to join Amber, before the two of us headed to the Big House. Less people stared this time, but people did start whispering. I wondered how many people knew about the prophecy. I had a feeling in my gut that nobody but I knew who wasn't supposed to. That was somewhat relieving; I didn't need people pondering on that. _I _wasn't even going to consider it.

Once we had arrived inside the Big House, Amber took me into a room where most of the head counsellors were already sitting. I noticed Sofia and Dean's elder sisters; Alexandra looking utterly stunning while Rebecca had some mud on her cheek, and grass in her side plait. A big, shaven young man, who glared at us all, also sat around the table, along with a young boy - about twelve looking - who looked like a younger, cleaner (in both senses) version of Mr D, who too was sat around the table. Chiron was there, in his wheelchair form.

Amber and I took a seat next to each other, and I had Alexandra on my other side, which was a relief. I knew her better than the others, however she was talking to Rebecca so didn't acknowledge me.

The last two head counsellors stepped in, and I was, for about a moment, relieved that they were similar aged to me. The girl - although taller than me -looked much more youthful. She had short, dirty blonde wavy hair, and blue eyes that resembled a summer sky. Her tan suggested that she must have spent a lot of time at the sunny camp, and the way she walked around also suggested to me she was very comfortable here… more so than the others.

While the girl looked so bright and open, the boy looked cold and reserved. He was tall, with dark brown messy hair, and stormy grey and calculating eyes. He looked at me, and a million thoughts seemed to rush through his mind, and they didn't appear positive. I stared right back, also glaring, before he eventually took a seat. Chiron cleared his throat and the meeting commenced.

"Good afternoon, heroes. I'm sure you've all heard about the new addition to the meeting. Scarlet Swan, Daughter of Zeus."

Second time I'd been addressed that today. Not sure it boded well with me.

"Hi." I simply said.

"So, firstly," Chiron started, probably noticing my increasing frustration over everybody staring at me, "We need to…"

"If she's Zeus' kid," The large boy interrupted, "does that mean…"

"Enough of that, Kieran." Chiron reprimanded. "Anyway, we do have the unfortunate job of finding a replacement for the sword fighting teacher, since it's been a few months now."

"Still nothing?" Rebecca moaned.

"Nope. As you all know, a teacher has to be eighteen years old and well skilled at the sport, enough to teach others. Usually they're head counsellors, but Amber and Kieran already teach."

"And most of our eighteen year olds only made it to being eighteen because they're lazy sods." Rebecca sighed.

"Are there no trainers available on Olympus?" The boy my age suddenly asked.

"Sadly, no, Alfie. But we really can't carry on as we are."

"I see no problem." Kieran said, slightly creepily.

"Well I do, we can't continue having a severely dangerous lesson with no professional." Rebecca responded.

"Camp Half-Blood is supposed to be dangerous." Alfie retorted, and he looked at me. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"Something will work out." The blonde girl said assuredly. "It always does here, I would know."

Everybody seemed to listen to the girl, while I suddenly had an idea.

"Has no one considered that the lesson just gets supervised?" I spoke for the first time. "Like, not a teacher, as we can't find them, so just somebody who can oversee things." I was instantly sure that they were going to laugh at me or prove me wrong, but I looked around, glaring at them to try anything - my jaw tight.

"Hey, it's not a bad idea." Amber backed me up.

"See! Told you." The blonde grinned happily.

"Yes, but who would supervise?" Alfie's statement annoyed me, as though I just had a stupid idea. _He _annoyed me.

"Me." Mr D surprised us all by saying.

"Dionysus?" Chiron asked, shocked.

"Well, I'll have a can of Diet Coke, of course… and don't expect me to communicate with any of this lot. But I suppose if they're about to kill each other, I could use that as an excuse to turn them into a grape vine or something."

"Think that may have answered your question." I said to Alfie, not jokingly. He didn't reply to me, just glared distrustfully.

"Anything else, Chiron?" The blonde asked. It could be perceived as being rude, but when she did it, it seemed natural and good-natured.

"I don't believe so." Chiron replied. "Just need to quickly talk to Scarlet. The rest of you can go."

The chairs scraped against the floor as the head counsellors all left, while I stayed stationary at the table.

"Scarlet." Chiron sighed.

"Did you know?" I asked, a sudden thought occurring.

"I did suspect, just a small amount. It was when you arrived I started to more, and then when you got claimed I realised I was right."

"Why didn't you tell me you suspected?"

"Let's not go down that road again, Scarlet. It's that temper of yours that really made me think you _were _his daughter… and I have something for you, from Zeus."

"You do?"

Chiron pulled up a jar that appeared to be resting on the floor by his feet. This jar was completely ordinary; however there was peculiar looking gold dust at the bottom. I looked at him quizzically, now quite interested… ignoring the fact Zeus left this.

"This is a very powerful weapon, Scarlet."

"Chiron…" I reproached sceptically.

"Put your hands in the jar." He instructed me. I didn't understand why on earth he was asking me to do this, but I, warily, eyed the jar, before quickly grabbing it and doing as instructed.

At first, I felt nothing. Then, it all felt so rushed, like a whooshing in my fingertips, and a cold electric current through my bloodstream, which caused my vision to blur slightly and my head to spin. The sensation stopped as soon as it started and it felt as though nothing had happened.

"Now click your fingers." He once again instructed. I did so, and I found that in my right hand I was holding a magnificent, shining sword and on the left arm was a gigantic, heavy shield.

I looked down at what I was holding and was utterly shocked.

"I'm holding a sword and shield." I stated the obvious.

"Astrapes kai Brontes." I was informed by Chiron, and somehow I knew that it translated into Thunder and Lightning.

"And Zeus left this." I continued, twisting the word Zeus to sound like a deadly disease.

"He did indeed. And if you blow on them, they will disappear."

I did so, and the sword and shield disappeared before my very eyes.

"How do I get it back?" I asked, now paranoid that I have lost the new weapons that my dad had left me…

"You simply click your fingers." Chiron smiled. "Now, this must all have been exhausting for you, and so I suggest you make the most of the rest of the day."

"Uh, yeah, okay." I agreed, standing up quickly. "Thank you… for…"

"Don't thank me. Thank Zeus."

"Hm, or not." I retorted. "Bye."

And with that, I awkwardly retreated out of the building, quite looking forward to spending some more time with Sofia, Lucas and Dean. That, however, didn't happen.

The chirpy girl whose name I didn't catch during the meeting was waiting for me at the bottom of the few steps, leaning against the wall. I slowed down as I noticed her and she almost bounced next to me; blue eyes sparkling and the sun bouncing off her blonde wavy hair.

"Hey! Thought I ought to introduce myself. Helia Underwood, Daughter of Apollo."

"Scarlet Swan… Daughter of, um, Zeus." I muttered.

"Yeah, I know." She grinned. "The _whole camp _knows. Where you off to?" Helia completely changing the subject took me by surprise.

"Oh… the beach. My friends are down there. You can come… if you want?" I decided that Helia seemed to be a very nice person, and so I ought to give her a chance. We were all rejects here, after all.

"Sounds great!" She appeared so genuinely happy, that I smiled too. Until a certain _somebody _showed up.

"Helia." He nodded towards her whilst glaring at me.

"Alfie, we've spoken about this." Helia sighed, and was about to continue but then I started talking.

"Does he usually act like a nutter, then?"

"Not a nutter, no." He responded. "I'm a son of Athena, I'm good at spotting trouble. And you, Scarlet Swan, are trouble."

"What gives you that impression, then?" I demanded. "Has anybody ever told that making assumptions about people is wrong? Or are you too clever for that?"

"I know about the prophecy." He stared at me, whilst Helia's eyes widened, evidently intrigued now. "So I know that you could be trouble, as a child of Zeus. I don't trust you. And the rest of camp would be better off not trusting you either. It's bad logic."

"Alfie, don't be silly." Helia chided.

"You got a problem with me? Cool, bring it on." I shouted at him.

"I'll talk to you later, Alfie. Please." Helia interrupted, smiling at Alfie, perfectly calm and relaxed.

Alfie regarded me with a look of loathing before walking away, leaving me fuming behind.

"Who does he think he is?" I asked Helia, as we continued to the beach.

"He's always been like it. I've known him since he came here, when he was nine. He tends to distrust people when he first meets them… he didn't with me, probably looked up to me – I was a nine year old head counsellor, you know. But now he's my best friend, and he _can_ be such a good friend, if you give the fool some time. Lucas!" Helia suddenly burst out when she caught sight of the satyr.

"Helia Underwood!" Lucas responded, and the two hugged.

"I haven't seen you and your horns for ages!" Helia exclaimed.

"Miss me?"

"I sure did."

Sofia and I looked at each other, completely bemused, and I noticed how Dean was standing very close to her.

"Um, who are you?" Dean asked.

And then everybody exchanged names, and the five of us sat on a sand dune exchanging stories, although Helia didn't say much. She told us she'd been at camp since she was three, her mother was dead and she had never met Apollo, but that was as far as it went, although she was definitely hiding something. I decided I wouldn't venture further, as I would probably sound the complete opposite of tactful. That was usually Sofia's thing, but the conversation changed before she could say anything.

"Scarlet, you know Zeus and Demeter are brother and sister? That makes us cousins." Dean informed me suddenly. That came as a shock to me. I never had a cousin before.

"Oh. Well… that's quite cool." I simply said, smiling slightly.

"Sadly, I'm none of your relatives." Lucas sighed.

"Evidently, with those horns of yours. And I'd like to think our legs are less hairy." Helia teased.

"You know that it attracts you, Helia. It attracts Scarlet."

I snorted, while Helia just nodded mockingly, smiling widely as she put her thumbs up.

"Well this is nice." Sofia finalised the day, and we sat there together until the conch horn sounded at sunset for dinner.

"Have to go and lead my cabin." Helia quickly jumped up.

"A natural leader." Lucas grinned.

"I think others might be better suited to leadership…" She mysteriously glanced at me, before running off.


	7. Chapter Seven - An Unlikely Alliance

The sun shone through my windows at a most ungodly hour, despite the dark curtains that I had closed tightly. I shut my eyes, protesting, until I realised I had to be up early, because it was Monday, and Monday was camp lessons. I angrily got out of bed, got changed into shorts and a camp T-shirt, brushed my teeth and thought about how I shouldn't have to do lessons in the summer holidays.

That was until I looked at the noticeboard by the door. My daily lessons consisted of Archery and Sword-fighting before lunch, and then Greek Mythology and Monster Maiming. Apparently the lessons were decided on what the cabin was usually skilled at. I suddenly felt excited to use my new sword and slipped on my shoes quickly before checking the time. Seven forty-three. Perfect timing, really. Breakfast was at eight. And after breakfast…

Fantastic. The head counsellors had chores to do before lessons. And the head counsellor of Cabin One… me… had chores to do on Monday mornings, and they were to sort through Chiron's messages. I was mildly miffed, but I didn't mind too much. I was looking forward to a camp breakfast… not being squished on the end of a bench, but with a bench to myself. And while the other head counsellors had to line up their cabins outside for breakfast, I could just stroll out. And I had no siblings to hassle me, or to annoy me, because I was alone.

I stopped in my tracks. I really was alone. I looked around at the cabin, which was less dusty now it was being used, however I had only been in it for one night and so it looked like nobody lived in it. Because it should be. I wasn't supposed to be alive, and I wasn't the normal camper here.

I looked up at the statue again, cursing my father. Why couldn't I just be a normal camper, with a regular Olympian for a father and no impending prophecy, with no arseholes telling me I'm going to cause trouble? Clenching my jaw and holding my head up, I strode out and headed for breakfast.

And although still very aware of how the other tables had at least three campers, and how it was just me on mine, I did enjoy the space I had. I was fine on my own, really. I loved Sofia and Lucas, and Dean and Helia were growing on me, and I appreciated Amber for helping me out, obviously, but I had no problems being alone.

Sorting out the messages was a tedious task, for I had to sort out the messages from the day before as well, and while I tried reading them to see what was said, there was nothing interesting whatsoever. The most interesting must have been from Hermes, regarding a delivery of some new celestial bronze that had been delayed, but that was all.

Archery was… not my thing. I had it with Cabin Seven and Cabin Twelve, so at least I was with Helia. However, Helia was the best in camp at Archery. Apollo was the god of it, and she had been training for eleven years and so she shot with perfect accuracy and speed. Mine travelled about a metre at1mph and eventually flopping to the floor, and the next one narrowly missed Chiron.

"You should be okay, soon." Helia assured me confidently.

"Yeah, okay then." I replied sceptically.

The lesson completely annoyed me, and so I was already in bad spirits by the time Sword-fighting came, down at the sword-fighting arena. As a terrible reader, I didn't really read too much about the lesson on the noticeboard, so I didn't see the bit where it said that I would be with Cabin Five and Six. The Ares and Athena cabins. The god of war and the goddess of battle strategy. I mentally cursed Chiron for putting me with these cabins.

I could feel their stares as I put on my armour, which felt heavy and stupid on me, however I wasn't too fussed. I'd already heard about the rivalry between the two cabins and so I was sure that they wouldn't notice me. The main problem was that I had no idea what I was doing. Mr D was there, like he said he would be, yet he wasn't paying attention at all. I looked around and saw everybody readying their weapons. And the fights began.

It was evidently light training, for when the fight looked like it was going to lead to death and serious injuries, it would break off. I clicked my right hand and was holding Brontes, yet nobody came near me, which was probably a good thing because I would probably lose and that would have been horrific.

As soon as I came to the realisation I would be left alone, somebody charged at me. Evidently one of the less abled from the Ares cabin, yet he was big… and beefy, and looked as though he could kill me.

_Oh no he wouldn't_.

I instinctively blocked his spear from coming near me. He frowned, supposedly thinking I would be an easy target. I stepped backwards, to put more space between the two of us and swung my sword, which he then blocked.

This pattern repeated itself, only happening faster each time, until it was nearly a blur. The anger that had been building up inside of me manifested itself and I then, with my left arm, elbowed him in the head, and you could almost see the stars in his eyes.

While he was dizzy, and I knew it wouldn't be long because I had hardly any brute strength, I aimed for his spear hand with Brontes. As I somehow knew he would, he dropped the spear instinctively, which I then picked up off the ground. As I did this, I realised we were being observed. Slowly, I turned around and realised that the entire group were looking over. This made me feel tense, so I quickly gave the spear back to the boy - who rushed away, bright red. More campers came and joined me, to see if they could beat me, but they couldn't. I wasn't really sure how, but I was managing to swipe them away. Yet they were replaced by someone I just _had _to beat.

"Yes, Alfie?" I snapped. Slowly, he too raised his spear. Something in his eyes told me he was going to be harder to beat. We started off perfectly normally, but then I thrusted my sword forwards, but he blocked it straight away. I angrily continued to try and disarm him, which was becoming quite easy as his heart didn't seem to be in it. Then he nearly used a disarming technique to… well, disarm me, but he slashed my wrist instead, and embarrassed that he had injured me, I decided to fight twice as hard, and so did he, until we both ended up pointing our weapons at each other's hearts. Quick thinking on my part, I then did something which could have cut my hand off, but I grabbed his spear and, in surprise, he let it go, before I had him in a headlock, with Brontes and his own spear pointing at his heart.

"Could you stop pointing two sharp weapons at my heart?"

"Not until you say the magic word." I dug the sword in.

"Please?" He asked. I grimaced. He looked really pissed now, trying to think. "Um, sorry?"

"For what?"

"For… you know. Saying that."

I considered him for a moment, and then stopped. I gave him back his spear and blew on my sword, and it vanished. He looked at it, astonished.

"How does that work? Does the sword fold out and compact into a watch, or some other device? Or is it an illusion?"

"I think it just vanishes… bit of a nerd, aren't you?"

"Well actually I… yeah. I guess so." And for the first time, he allowed himself a small smile.

"Still think I'm dangerous?" I asked.

"Definitely. I was right about that, at any rate."

"I think I might believe you, anyway. Shall we just forget about it now? I won't hate you for being a judgemental knob."

"I insult you, you nearly kill me. Think we're evens anyway. Are you on a team for Capture the Flag on Friday?"

"Capture the what?"

"Right, so you're on mine."

And then Mr D informed us all that the lesson was over and we had to head down to lunch, and that was like music to my ears, because I was bloody starving.

Greek Mythology was boring. It was taught by satyrs, and it just so happened that Lucas taught our class. I was with Cabin Eleven, and I knew none of them particularly well, as Amber wasn't there, so I sat right by Lucas, on a grassy area by the forest, away from Cabin Eleven and placing myself so I could annoy him, like he always annoyed me when I was busy.

He decided to talk to us about the kidnap of Persephone, firstly telling us the story, like how Persephone got kidnapped by Hades and ate six pomegranates when you weren't supposed to eat food in the Underworld so she is now trapped there. But then my darling Daddy came to the rescue and reasoned that she could stay there for six months of the year, for she ate six pomegranates, and that is how we get the seasons.

"Why couldn't he have just saved her for the whole year?" I asked suddenly. I felt the stares of Cabin Eleven, and some even nervously looked up at the sky.

"Scarlet, you're talking about something that happened centuries ago…"

"Well it was just a question."

Lucas sighed, and in that sigh, you could tell he was older. "Never question the gods, Scarlet."

"Why?"

"We'll talk about it later." He dismissed the question and I knew that I would forget about the conversation and wouldn't mention it, and neither would he. He continued to talk to us about the myth, while I sat and thought about how much else I would have to 'not question' and just accept.

Before I knew it, it was my Monster Maiming class, and I was with Alfie and Cabin Six again, as well as Cabin Nine. The class also happened to be taught by Amber, which was brilliant.

"Right, class." She shouted out. "We are going to split up into pairs, groups, whatever, and look around and see what you can find! Don't worry, none of the _really_ dangerous monsters are around. Go have fun!"

"Let's pair up, Lightning Girl." Alfie said to me.

"How long did that take you to come up with?"

"About three minutes and two seconds."

"Really?"

"Yes, because…"

"Okay, okay, I really don't care." I raised my hands up in defence from all the horrible _clever talk_.

"Where are you from, then?" He asked. I regarded him carefully.

"Do you want to know because you're interested or because you don't know and you don't like not knowing?"

"The former." He responded. "I'm really not that cold a person, you know."

"Could have fooled me!" I argued back. Nothing was said for a while.

"You came here with someone else, didn't you?" He tried again at being relatively normal.

"Yeah, Sofia."

"Is she nice?"

"No, she's horrible, that's why we're friends."

Alfie sighed. "I'm… um… sorry. Again. I haven't had to make friends for years, and even then I was bad."

"Why haven't you? I told you, you're cold."

"I haven't had to."

"You don't have to now."

"Helia kind of threatened me at lunch. She likes you, for some reason."

"I could say the same about you…" I started, but I was interrupted. For we found ourselves a monster. This ginormous pigeon monster stood before us, which made ear piercingly loud noises and looked at us like it wanted to kill us. Instant panic engulfed me, but I tried not to show this as I stared wide eyed at the ridiculous, yet also intimidating, monster, and started to feel irrationally angry towards Alfie.

"This is your fault!" I snapped. I wanted to know what to do, but I was new at this demigod business and, quite frankly, had no idea, other than to click my fingers.

"How is this my…" Alfie started, before jumping out of the way of an attack. "We need arrows! The Stymphalian birds can only be defeated with arrows."

"Good job I have a load handy!" I yelled, full of sarcasm as I rolled away to join Alfie, narrowly dodging the bird. "Do we fight?"

"Are you off your head? I need to plan what to do first."

I held back from making a retort, and instead racked my own brains on what the hell I ought to do.

_Use the air._

That was definitely not my voice, which was slightly concerning. I really didn't want to be hearing voices; that never ended well. I screwed my eyebrows, trying to locate the source of this.

_Use the air, Scarlet. Concentrate it bending around you._

I didn't know who the person was, but I thought it was worth a try. I focused my energy on the air around me lifting me up slowly, to be level with the Stymphalian bird. I heard a whooshing noise and felt cold pressure against me, until I looked down and saw I had rose from the ground, where a speechless Alfie sat looking up.

I soon became level with the monster, who was eyeing me with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. I held my sword out and focused on the air pushing me towards it, where it flew to the side as fast as Lucas after lemonade.

I narrowed my eyes in concentration. I knew that it was just going to keep dodging until it finally attacked and killed me. However, the bird soon had other ideas. It looked down and began to fire arrows down on Alfie, as they came flying out of its wings, as though they were inside the skin. Thinking quickly, I clicked my fingers and sent Astrapes down to Alfie to shield himself. It could have hit him on the head but I wasn't too concerned about that. While the bird was focused on my new friend, I concentrated on the air picking up speed, and I zoomed straight towards the bird and stabbed it with Brontes. It made one last screech before vaporising into dust.

Joyous at my win, I momentarily forgot that I was supposed to be concentrating on staying in the air and I came crashing down to the ground, twisting both my ankles as I did so and cursing wildly.

"A graceful end to such a spectacular performance." Alfie joked.

"If you've got nothing helpful to say then go away." I warned him, whilst wincing through the pain.

"We just need to get you to Amber, who can give you some ambrosia."

"What's that?"

"Food of the gods. If demigods use it sparingly, it can mend any injury or heal a mild illness; however side effects of using too much can include burning up. Literally, burning you up… leading to death."

"Great."

"Didn't know the children of Zeus could fly, though. Or was it more manipulation of the wind around you? Whatever it was, think you could do with some practice. What made you do it? Instinct?"

"Nothing, don't worry." I said.

"Voice in your head?" He automatically guessed. Taken aback, I nodded. "Yeah, that would be your father. My mum's done it from time to time."

"So you mean we have Zeus to thank for our victory?"

"In a way, yes."

I grumbled inwardly at this, not liking to owe my father anything.

"And it was more manipulation of the winds, rather than flying." I informed him.

"Pretty cool power, to be honest… do you want me to carry you to Amber?" The last bit was evidently a joke, so I lightly hit him, not having the energy to properly do it.

"Is everything alright over here?" Amber's voice could be heard coming towards us.

"Scarlet vaporised a Stymphalian bird then fell and hurt her ankles." Alfie answered before I could.

"How did she manage that?" Amber had rushed right next to us and was getting some food that looked like fudge out of her bag.

"Manipulated the air, forgot she was doing it and fell." Evidently this was amusing to Alfie.

"I can answer for myself, thank you." I curtly responded, embarrassed, while Amber also looked amused. She handed me some of the fudge food and it, strangely, didn't taste like fudge, but of my favourite pudding – ice cream. I could feel my ankles begin to mend, however when I tried to stand I fell straight to the floor and so Amber and Alfie both had to support me back to camp.

* * *

After a normal camp dinner, it was time for the Monday evening chariot races between the head counsellors. As I'd only been at camp for two days, I wasn't expected to have a chariot ready, however I would need to by the following week. Participating were Rebecca, with her second in command Jodie, riding a pomegranate coloured chariot with flowers and fruit vines as decoration, driven by typical farm donkeys, which were, however, trained to race fast. Kieran – and Richard - had a horrible blood red chariot, driven by skeleton horses. Alfie and Greg had a grey, simplistic chariot, decorated with owls and driven by pegasi, while Helia and _her _sibling, Summer, had a bright gold chariot, which didn't seem to need animals. Alexandra and Coco had a beautiful chariot, pink and white with proud looking stallions, however the chariot didn't look very stable. Adam and Drake from Hephaestus had the most interesting chariot, driven by automatons. Amber's chariot was run down, with chipped brown paint and pegasi, with Hugo helping her out, while Henry and Saffron from Cabin Twelve had a purple chariot.

I stood with Sofia, Dean and Lucas, at a highly convenient place near the finish line, which did however mean we couldn't see the start of the race. I hadn't spoken to them about my experience in the woods, and neither had Alfie, apparently. Sofia and Dean were rooting for their cabins, and Lucas was also rooting for the Aphrodite cabin, for obvious reasons. I felt as though I should be rooting for either Alfie or Helia, yet I wasn't. It was only the day before I was in Amber's cabin, so although acting impartial and unaffected, I wanted Cabin Eleven to win.

We heard a conch horn in the distance and were aware that the race had started.

"How long do they usually last?" Dean asked Lucas, already bored.

"Oh, not long." Lucas replied, as a large explosion took place somewhere along the track. The location for the chariot races was a designated clearing in the forest, which I hoped wouldn't attract any monsters roaming around.

"Go Alex!" Sofia shouted, but she was soon to be disappointed. One of her sisters from Cabin Ten, Tilly, came and joined us.

"Alex and Coco crashed." She sighed miserably.

"Really? How?" Sofia asked melancholically.

"Rebecca Grove, that cow."

"Hey!" Dean turned, frowning irritably. "That's my sister."

Tilly looked as though she was going to argue, but then she took one look at Dean - his muscles and his dark hair - and at Sofia, who was smiling at him, and grinned.

"Sorry… Dean, isn't it? I'll leave you be, Sofia. Crystal's dad sent her down a laptop… he's one of the main people from Apple…" Tilly informed myself, Lucas and Dean, like we cared. "And so we're going to have a Twilight marathon."

"Ooh, sounds nice." Sofia nodded, and hugged Tilly before she disappeared off.

"You fitting in with the sorority, then?" Lucas winked at Sofia.

"This isn't America, Lucas." Sofia laughed, just as two chariots swerved into view; Adam and Rebecca. Noticing that neither Amber, Helia nor Alfie were going to win, I decided to root for Rebecca – as she was my cousin too. I'd suddenly gone from having no family, to a ridiculously big one, which I quite liked.

However, Adam won, but only by a few centimetres.

"Sorry, Dean." Lucas patted him on the back.

"You still came second though!" Sofia consoled cheerfully. Dean and I both looked at her.

"That isn't really comforting, Sofia." I grimaced.

"Oh… well, shall we go find the other two? They should be at the beach."

* * *

"So you can fly?" Sofia exclaimed.

"Well not _fly_…" I started, but everybody looked at me sceptically. "Okay, yes, I can fly."

"That is so cool." Sofia sighed. "I wish I had powers."

"I'm sure you do. Apollo kids have loads." Helia told her.

"Like what?"

"Um, I can create light, and heal people from minor things… the archery…"

"I have heard that Aphrodite children can Charmspeak." Alfie suddenly informed Sofia.

"What's that?" I asked.

"The ability to hypnotise people with words…" Alfie started, however Sofia and I had already started our own excited conversation.

"The underwear!" I hissed, referencing what Sofia did to get her expelled.

"Yeah, and the chocolate!" Sofia continued, reminding me of the time she managed to convince a newsagent to let her take a load of chocolate for free.

"Ladies, I suggest you tell us what you're talking about before me, Dean and Alfie get excited."

Helia laughed, while Dean and Alfie looked annoyed. Sofia and I managed to rise above it.

"Remember what happened at school, Lucas? What Sofia got expelled for?"

"Oh yeah. Shame." Lucas winked at Dean, who shook his head.

"What powers would I have, then?" Dean decided to change the subject.

"Flower power." Alfie pursed his lips, trying not to laugh. Dean rolled his eyes and clapped sarcastically.

"But hold on…" Alfie started again, and this time _I _rolled my eyes, "Sofia could pretty much persuade us to do anything."

"I could, couldn't I?" She smiled quite happily at that.

"Nah, she won't." I shrugged off.

"You never know." Alfie argued.

"If Sofia says she won't, she won't, surely?" Dean burst out. I smiled smugly.

"I swear on the River Styx that I won't." Sofia announced.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"To swear on the River Styx is the strongest oath you can make." Alfie explained.

"I remember when you used to make me swear on it for stupid things." Helia grinned. "So now I can't eat ice-cream."

"You poor thing…" I muttered, instantly craving some.

"You did the same, Helia." Alfie countered. "Only I can't do archery anymore."

"You were becoming good." Helia said. "I eradicated my competition, I have to stay the best."

"You certainly did that…" Alfie sounded annoyed, yet his affection for his best friend was still clear. I had a sudden flashback to Helia telling me that Alfie had been at camp since he was nine… if thirteen/fourteen was the normal age, then I instantly wondered why Alfie came so young.

"You came to camp at nine?" I asked. It started off so well, until I added, "Your dad get sick of you?" A sharp intake of breath from Helia indicated to me that this was a touchy subject. Oh well, how was I to know?

"As a matter of fact, I got sick of _him_, and his wife, and their stupid kids." He informed me coldly.

"Oh, okay, cool." Is what I had to say in return, which sounded uncaring, but I genuinely did care, I just…

The conch horn sounded, signalling curfew, and I only just realised that the sky was black, and that annoyed me, for I was having such a nice evening with my friends, only to go back to a cold, empty cabin, but it didn't bother me as much as it used to. It really was rare for misery guts me, but I was smiling. Forget flying and Zeus claiming me and nearly dying…that really was strange.


	8. Chapter Eight - Capture the Flag

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. I was still appalling at archery, despite Helia's claims that, with practice, I'd be brilliant. She even agreed to teach me out of lessons, so we spent nearly all of our free time in the archery arena. Dean enjoyed coming to watch… which perhaps might have been to escape the nervousness of being around Sofia, who was at the beach with Alfie and Lucas. My… well, my _cousin_ soon regretted the decision of watching me muck up when an arrow narrowly missed his eye.

Sword-fighting was interesting. Alfie, whose pride had been deflated since his first defeat to me, was determined to beat me in a fight. So every day that week he would fight me, however this time there were no wins or losses. We fought until Mr D got bored of watching us. I honestly had no idea how I was as good as I was… it's almost as though it just came naturally.

"You're a child of the Big Three." Alfie informed me, after our Thursday lesson. "You would naturally have the talent."

"That's probably the only cool thing to come out of my claiming." I admitted.

No offence to Lucas, but Greek Mythology was boring. Highly boring. Perhaps that's because it was the only lesson where I had no friends to muck around with, for Lucas was _teaching_.

Then there was Monster Maiming, which had died down since the Stymphalian bird. Amber made sure that Alfie and I didn't stray from the group and venture as far into the forest, so we only had to tackle pathetic monsters, and as a group, which was just boring.

However, Friday appeared to be a bit different. After Alfie's passing comment about Capture the Flag, I had completely forgotten about it. Once lessons that day ended, all six of us went to the beach, which was where Dean, Sofia and I - the newbies - found out what it actually was.

"Basically," Alfie started, hardly concealing his enjoyment at explaining things, "Capture the Flag is a game where the aim is to steal the other team's flag, with the use of various weapons."

"Sound's simple enough." Dean commented. "What are the teams?"

"My team is the red team, and we have Hermes, Apollo, and now Scarlet on our team, and Ares, aka Kieran, is leading the blue team, with the other cabins."

"So Helia, you and I, are against the others?" I asked.

"We are."

"And we need to get the blue flag?"

"We do."

"How?"

"Not going to tell you now, am I?" Alfie scoffed. "Not in front of these peasants."

"But I bet you have it all figured out, Alfie." Helia joked. Alfie, in all seriousness, nodded.

"While we satyrs kick back and enjoy the show." Lucas sighed, sounding satisfied.

"You've been strangely quiet, Lucas." I frowned suspiciously.

"My good friend Dean and I have been plotting ourselves." Dean reddened as Lucas said this.

"What about?" Sofia asked.

"Oh, Sofia." Lucas responded. "It is better that our plan stays a secret for the time being."

"I'm starting to regret taking your advice." Dean said.

In the distance, the conch horn sounded for dinner. The six of us rose and started to make our way, and I used the time to hassle Alfie for the plan.

"I'll tell you after dinner." He blew it off.

"Why?"

"Spies." He answered, very sinisterly.

* * *

After dinner, the Athena, Hermes, Apollo and Zeus cabins all gathered outside the forest, to become equipped with body armour, helmets with red flumes, and to talk tactics. Now that the blue team were at a safe distance away, Alfie decided it was okay to tell me what he had planned.

"Okay, so Hermes are on border patrol, and…"

"Wait a second." I interrupted. "You're forgetting that I haven't been at camp for a week yet, so, um… I don't even know what that is."

"One half of Hermes are defending our territory, while the other half are defending our flag. Apollo, led by Helia, will head into the Ares territory to attack their team from there, whilst we are going to try and seize the flag."

"What would happen if you got the flag? There'd be two Athena flags then."

"We'd have to choose to give away one." Alfie stated. "But I need you to do something."

"What?"

"Once we're in Ares territory, you need to get well away from us and fly up into the nearest tree. From there, you can get a good look at the area and see what they've planned."

"I don't want to." I wasn't too keen on the idea of flying again, especially after last time. My legs may have healed but I wasn't keen on falling again.

"You won't fall again, Scarley." Helia came bounding up to us, looking badass while holding a bow and arrow, and seemed to read my mind. Alfie, though wearing the armour and holding the spear, and though having the cold, warrior eyes, to me just looked like a nerdy bookworm.

"Let's hope so." I smiled warningly in Alfie's direction, before Helia wished us luck and rushed off to lead her cabin into position. I wished her some in return, and she told me she didn't need it. I raised my eyebrows at that.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous, but I didn't seem to have the same excitement and determination to win like the others did. I wondered whether that was because I hadn't played before. To me, it was just a bit of fun with my mates. But it was throughout the game that it occurred to me that, it may be a fun game, but definitely not government approved.

It started off reasonable enough. We, firstly, had to get past the Aphrodite and Demeter cabins, who were on border patrol for their team, which meant that I had to get past Sofia and Dean. Sofia, who we found was the only one in her cabin to have the power of Charmspeak, seemed to be using it on our team. Dean also appeared to be a reasonable sword fighter, however we managed to get past him, his sisters and the Aphrodite girls fairly easily, although a couple of Alfie's siblings had been Charmspoken into hiding behind a tree, which I made a mental note to high five my best friend for when we weren't enemies.

"Scarlet, go now!" Alfie ordered me. I argued that I should probably stay, in case Demeter or Aphrodite were to tail us, but Alfie won, and I begrudgingly – hating being told what to do - separated myself from the Athena lot and ran until I could no longer hear the shouts of the game. It didn't take me long to find a high enough tree because, you know, we were in a forest, and I focused on the wind bringing me upwards before grabbing hold of the top branch at the same time. I stopped the air from bending around me and I felt gravity begin to act upon me again, so swung my legs over the branch to sit down. And I saw the entirety of Camp Half-Blood.

As the daughter of the Lord of the Sky, I suppose I was bound to appreciate the brilliant view before me. It was the shouts from below that brought me back into reality, and I reluctantly did as Alfie said and looked around for traps, perhaps half-heartedly. I never did like anyone ordering me about.

Although, it was then I noticed something quite suspicious in the forest. One of the tree's leaves seemed to be an odd shade of green, and a thin wire came out from it, leading down and trailing across the path. This seemed to be very close to the blue flag, which was being guarded by some campers. I wasn't too sure what the wire was, but I was sure it couldn't be good, so I - this time fairly gracefully - flew back down to the ground and ran as fast as I could. However, I was intercepted

One of Hephaestus' sons was there. It wasn't Adam; this one was younger, yet beefier. He came at me with a sword, which I easily thrust away. My predicament that the campers would be more competitive during the game was correct; this camper was hard to fight. I was getting more and more agitated - I needed to go and warn Alfie of the trap. I even contemplated ignoring the no-maiming rule and knocking this Hephaestus kid out.

Turns out I didn't have to. With one strong swing, I knocked the dude's sword out of his hand. I still didn't know where I had gotten my sword-fighting skills from and tried not to feel too cocky that I had never lost, knowing that one day, I would, just like Alfie did.

I was right not to feel cocky. Mr D's daughter, Saffron, jumped out. She was about twelve years old, the youngest in her cabin, and was certainly her father's daughter, however her black curly hair was in two bunches at the back of her head in cute ringlets. Her chubby cheeks and bloodshot eyes were identical. She didn't say anything to me, like the Hephaestus boy, whose name I think was Drake. Instead, she charged. I wasn't used to fighting somebody smaller than myself, and I realised… it was harder. Perhaps that was why I won so many fights; my height, for Saffron was able to dodge quickly. However her fighting really wasn't very good; she got bored after a couple of swipes and let me disarm her.

I noticed that Drake was about to pick up his sword and attack again, so I stepped on the sword and broke it. I did this so that he couldn't pick it up attack again, before I ran like the wind in the direction the Athena cabin went in, until I finally bumped straight into Alfie.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Saffron and Drake… but I managed it." I informed him defiantly.

"And what did you see?" He demanded.

"I'm not too sure what it was," I started to explain, observing how the whole of Alfie's cabin now had their stormy grey eyes looking straight at me. "This green stuff in a tree, with a wire leading straight down and trailing across a path…?"

"Greek fire." They all said at the same time.

"Wow." I stared at them, astonished. "But isn't Greek fire this green fire that will never ever go out?"

"Yep." Alfie answered gravely. "But now we know about it, we won't set it off."

"But what I don't understand," Alfie's sister said, "is why they'd set up a trap that could easily be set off, while the Dionysus campers are by the flag… they would be trapped."

"Nope, they wouldn't." Alfie disagreed. "Ella, when I was about your age, the same scenario as this happened, where the traps actually went off and the campers guarding the flag quickly escaped around it, while the attacking campers had no alternative but to retreat."

"So, in terms for the simple minded like me," I summed up, "we stay well away from the fucking wire."

"Well we can't technically do that." A male Athena kid said. "But we're gonna have to jump over it."

"Cool, let's go." I urged, walking forwards in the hope that the cabin would follow me, which they thankfully did.

"The plan," Alfie came up to me a couple of minutes later, "is to now slowly walk and look out for the wire. We should be nearly around it now. The Hephaestus campers should come out and fight us if we get past, so you need to go first, as our best fighter. Okay?"

"No." I disagreed. I was aware I was doing this just to be difficult, however Alfie seemed to recognise this so moved on to tell the next person.

Slowly, we surged forwards, until the wire was in sight. I staggered forwards before leaping slightly over. Nothing happened. Alfie and Ella followed suite, along with his other siblings. Triumphantly, we strolled towards the vacant flag, completely unaware that the rest of the Hephaestus and Dionysus cabins were about to jump out in front of us.

The other children of Hephaestus, Adam and Amy, stepped out, followed by the two sons of Dionysus; Henry and his brother Tim. The Hephaestus boys were brutal fighters, not skilled, but their weaponry was technical and did some extraordinary things, like expand at random times, become static when least expected, etc. I did find that I was somehow resistant to the electric shocks their swords would randomly give off, which was a plus.

Dionysus' sons proved to be a tad more skilled than their little sister and were able to take on the younger and less skilled of Alfie's siblings. This being so, the two of them were able to fight all nine of us. Three campers were taken down, which left six. I decided that while we couldn't all be taken down - time was at the essence and Ares could have gotten hold of our flag while we messed about, so I ran. I ran up to the flag - which was on top of a large pile of boulders - and grabbed hold of it. Alfie and his siblings did their best to distract Adam and Amy. Holding it for dear life, I ran down, with a flag in one hand and a sword in the other.

Amy came at me, having slipped away from the fight, and I narrowed my eyes and swung. I wasn't really concentrating and ended up getting her chin. She retreated instinctively and I ran forwards, although I forgot that there was a Greek fire trap. And so the Greek fire was set off. I heard screams from behind me, and I cursed loudly. I looked behind me and saw that the Athena campers, Dionysus campers and the Hephaestus campers had managed to escape, but the fire was spreading quickly and we all ran as fast as we could away, the game was forgotten, we all just wanted to get well away.

Adrenaline alone was keeping me going… I wasn't used to running great distances, especially whilst carrying a surprisingly heavy flag in one hand and my sword in the other. We didn't get attacked as we ran, for our opponents were aware of the situation and ran also.

I knew we had entered our territory when the flag changed from being red with a boar head to being dark blue with an eagle head. I slowed down; beginning to feel weak legged, and looked at the flag. I had won the game. I sunk to my knees and I was hardly aware of what was happening. I was vaguely aware that Alfie had gone to fetch Chiron to inform him about the fire, but tiredness completely engulfed me and I shut my eyes, my sweaty palm still gripping onto the flag.

The next thing I was aware of was Helia kneeling down beside me.

"Scarlet, you okay? Chiron's sorting out the fire, don't worry."

"Was I asleep?" I asked, dazed.

"For about a minute, yeah, but you won! No thanks to my cabin and our awesome archery skills… well, _my _archery skills…"

"Yep." I smiled weakly. "Now I need to go to bed."

"No you're not." Helia decided. "You're going to join in the celebrations… you're our winner, you can't disappear off now… besides, I want to find out what Lucas and Dean have plotted."

* * *

Helia was right; I would have been a complete idiot to have missed it. It took place on the beach, underneath a blanket of dark sky and glistening stars, which could hardly be seen out of camp, where there was pollution and gases clouding it. Nymphs were manning barbecues and there were trays of glasses flying about unaided for us to pick up and state the drink we want.

I'd had some people approach me once the celebration had started. Chiron, to tell me well done. Then there was Kieran, to threaten me because I beat him, which was actually quite funny;

"Don't think that Cabin Five are just going to forget what you did today, Swan."

"What did I do today, then?" I asked, knowing exactly what I 'did' and decided it would be amusing to make him say it.

"You know what."

"I don't, so can you repeat it, please?"

"… For beating us. But it was just a one off, Swan. We _will _get you back."

I suppose I should have been intimidated of the huge nineteen year old with evil eyes and large fists currently glaring at me, but when have I ever thought about what I said?

"Oh yeah? In your dreams, Johns. I beat you once, I'll do it again."

I knew that I would come to regret that, but I didn't care really that I'd made an enemy. I could easily take him on, and I was sure that the next day's Sword-fighting lesson he would do just that.

But I didn't care, because I had my friends (if you'll excuse me for being soppy). I grabbed a glass and announced that I wanted a Diet Coke, before bringing it over to the spot on the beach. It was slightly away from the celebration, but we could still see everything that was going on.

"Scarley!" Sofia cheered. "The winner!"

"Sofia, not lemonade…" I groaned, noticing the liquid in the cup.

"What?" She demanded, holding up and giggling.

"Lemonade is like alcohol to Sofia Moretti." Lucas explained to a bemused Dean, Alfie and Helia.

"You're one to talk, Lucas." Helia teased. "I remember a few years ago when you decided to jump from the top of the climbing wall and damaged your hooves. Silly goat."

"That never happened!" He shouted indignantly, before running and chasing Helia towards the sea.

"They're both like a couple of five year olds." Dean muttered.

"We all have our moments, Dean." I reprimanded.

"Some more than others." He smiled.

"So what's this plan that you and Lucas have come up with?" Alfie broke in.

"Nothing…"

"Come on!" Sofia cheered on. "It can't be…"

And that's when Dean Crown kissed Sofia Moretti. As if the timing couldn't be better, fireworks flew into the sky and cheers from the campers rang. After gaping at the two, I began to look away awkwardly, while Alfie seemed to be struggling to contain a smile. Helia and Lucas quickly rushed back and ruined the whole moment.

"How long have they been kissing?" Helia demanded, smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

"Dean, I'm your right hand goat, I'm supposed to be here!" Lucas exclaimed.

Sofia and Dean both broke apart, and Sofia laughed a little and looked down, while Dean looked at Lucas in disbelief.

"Lucas, go away."

"Well it was about time, anyway." Helia grinned. "This is brilliant."

"Helia calm down, mate." Alfie laughed.

"Jealous are you Alfie?" Lucas joked.

"Oh yeah. Loads."

While my friends messed around, and Sofia and Dean sat hand in hand, I sat still quietly. My high from winning Capture the Flag was steadily fading, and instead being replaced by an unexplained sense of loss. It was always to be expected that Sofia would get a boyfriend _way _before I did, but I worried that I may lose her to him. My best friend, who I'd always taken care of, had someone else to do that now. And I was lonely.

But I quickly told myself to get a grip and be happy for her. After all… I was soon about to have more important things to worry about.


	9. Chapter Nine - The Evil Stepmother

Just as I was really beginning to settle into the regular, demigod life, something happened that changed it all… as if I hadn't dealt with enough change that week. It was after lessons had finished that Saturday when Lucas approached me whilst I was sitting at the beach, pretty much playing the awkward third wheel to Sofia and Dean. Alfie and Helia were beginning chariot race preparations for Monday, which, as a head counsellor, I was supposed to be doing too, but I decided I'd sort it out the next day. However, as Lucas was with some other satyrs, that meant that I was getting in the way of the new couple, and so I was already planning to leave when Lucas made a frantic reappearance.

"What's up with you, goat boy?" I asked him.

"Scarlet, Chiron needs to talk to you at the Big House." He told me solemnly.

"Um, okay…" I got up and began to make my way with Lucas at my side, becoming increasingly worried about what he could possibly want. Was it to do with… no, it couldn't be… could it?

By the time I had arrived, I had worked myself up into a state of dread. We found Chiron sat at the decking table, reading a very old looking book. He looked up once he heard us coming and smiled, somewhat sadly.

"Scarlet… Lucas… take a seat."

We both did so instantly, although Lucas tripped over a chair leg whilst doing it. I didn't really care about that. I was too anxious about what was about to happen.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

"There's a problem… up on Olympus." Chiron started.

"What's that got to do with me?"

"It's got everything to do with you, Scarlet. Your father's wife, your stepmother, Queen Hera… she isn't too happy with you."

"Why?" I was absolutely outraged… as well as confused. "I haven't even spoken to her."

"Well she's more annoyed about how your dad cheated on her with your mum." Lucas summed it up for me. _Now _things started to make sense, and I was almost relieved that had nothing to do with _the prophecy_.

"That's hardly my fault." I protested.

"Hera is notorious for her hatred towards any of her husband's illegitimate children." Chiron explained. "And there hasn't been one for a very long time, until now."

"But she must have known that I was coming, because of the prophecy." I argued. Chiron and Lucas' faces reminded me that I really wasn't supposed to know that, which didn't bother me. "Oh yeah, I know about it. So…?"

"Zeus promised her he won't nor will cheat…" Chiron answered quietly. "But I don't want you to think about that prophecy, Scarlet. I need you to focus on what I'm about to tell you."

I looked at Lucas, to see his reaction to that dramatic sentence, and evidently he knew what was coming, as he turned a sickly shade of green.

"What is it?" I asked.

"To try and appease Hera, I'm sending you on a quest… now, I wouldn't do this if I didn't think you were fully capable. Have you ever heard of the Apples of Immortality?" I shook my head slowly, taking in the word 'quest'. "Well, it was module three of your Latin course last year so you should do. It was a wedding gift from Zeus to Hera, and the apples can make you immortal. They are guarded by the Hesperides in their garden, as well as the one hundred headed dragon, Ladon. All you need to do is steal one of these apples."

"Yep, Scarlet, that's all." Lucas tried to joke but it didn't really work while he looked at me like I was soon about to die.

"Um, okay, so… get past a one hundred headed dragon, these Hesperid things, and whatever monster attacks me on the way… woo, this should be fun." I nodded sarcastically.

"So you'll do it? And present this apple to Hera?" Chiron asked.

"Don't really have a choice in the matter." I commented.

"Well of course you have a choice… although I'd strongly suggest you do. You're more than capable, Scarlet."

"Oh, what the hell." I decided after a few moments of thought. "What now then?"

"Well now you're going to die." Lucas rolled his eyes. I didn't respond to him and instead waited for the proper answer from Chiron.

"Now, Scarlet, you have to go and receive your prophecy."

"Prophecy? What is it with prophecies?"

"It's camp tradition for the leader of a quest to receive a prophecy before they go on the quest. You'd better go before dinner, head straight up to the attic."

I did as instructed, heading inside to the Big House. I cautiously tried to avoid the unpleasant god, before quickly rushing up a few flight of stairs and finally reaching the ladder that led up to the attic. It may have been my imagination, but the temperature seemed to drop by a significant amount. I shrugged it off and continued to climb up the ladder.

The attic appeared normal enough, if you considered normal to be dusty, old and practically empty. There were tables that contained random objects that various demigods apparently had left there, like the extremely large monster tooth that evidently nobody wanted. There was only one window in this room, and it hardly allowed sunshine through due to the dust that had begun to settle on the window, so the room was practically in darkness. This may explain why I failed to notice the mummy in the corner of the room.

She had evidently been dead for many years, and she had tufts of black hair and a decomposing corpse for a body, and yet wore a flowery summer dress, which just looked plain strange. I stared at it, not at all sure what to make of it… her… when something strange happened. I heard her voice in my head.

"I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty python. Approach, seeker, and ask."

I wasn't too sure what I was supposed to be asking, so I continued to stand where I was, thinking it through, until I got the faintest suspicion that the corpse was growing impatient. I quickly stumbled forward, kept my head high to hide the intense anxiety I felt, gulped nervously, before I asked the powerful question.

"I am approaching… seeking… and um, asking." I stammered. Nothing happened for a moment, and then green mist began to pour from her mouth and engulf the entire room, and I heard the voice once more.

"_You shall get what you set out to steal_

_Present it to Hera and seal a deal_

_But you shall not gain what you set out to achieve_

_And will be granted a reason to grieve"_

And with that, the green mist evaporated and the room was, once again, empty and lifeless - other than myself. After I mentally repeated the lines, I bolted away at a speed Lucas would have been proud of.

Lucas, speaking of which, wasn't there when I got back down, and was instead replaced by the most wonderful Mr D, who had absolutely no interest in what was happening around him. I sat down next to Chiron, who, in contrast, asked me straight away how it went, and so I recited him every word of the prophecy. He sat there, as thoughtful as could be, while I did my best to read into what he was thinking - extremely paranoid, especially about the last line.

Finally, he spoke up. "Well, you definitely get the apple."

"And probably die." I sarcastically grinned.

"I hope so." Mr D sighed. The worry about the quest was really starting to hit, which was my excuse for getting really peed off with the camp director.

"Thanks for that, Mr D. Really helpful."

"You're welcome, Sarah Stone."

"_Scarlet Swan."_

"Anyway, moving on," Chiron coughed, "do you know who you're bringing with you?"

"I can bring… people?" This was a major surprise; all the old myths talked of single heroes so I assumed that they were sending me out on my own. Then the whole worry of which of my friends I would bring manifested itself… like I couldn't ask my friends to do this for me, could I? The whole thing was giving me a huge headache.

"Yes, of course."

I nodded slowly, letting that sink in as Chiron observed me.

"It would be normal to start panicking at about this point."

"I'm cool. I'll go on my own if I have to, get some apple, and take it to Olympus."

"What did you mean by 'go on your own if you have to', to paraphrase you?"

"Oh, well I can't ask them to do this."

Chiron didn't respond; he merely had a knowledgeable look on his face, before sighing deeply.

"Scarlet, you don't have to lead this on your own. I expected this would happen… don't try and do this by yourself, you do need other people."

"I can cope myself, you know." I half-heartedly protested, but was also slowly realising that I probably couldn't.

"There's no point trying to reason with her, Chiron." Mr D yawned. "She's as proud as her father… which I mean with the greatest respect." The last part was directed up at the sky, and the sky responded by crashing loudly. "Sorry, Father." Mr D didn't sound sorry, but I made a noise similar to a cat being sick.

"Wait… Zeus is your father?"

"Yes, child."

"Lovely." I grimaced. Mr D as my brother wasn't an exactly pleasant thought.

"Scarlet, you'd better go to dinner. You, and whoever is going on the quest, is to meet at the top of Half-Blood Hill at sunrise, where you will be taken into London. Remember what I said, Scarlet… you don't have to do it on your own."

"Yeah, yeah." I quickly said, before saying bye to Chiron, and making a rude hand gesture at Mr D behind his back.

I was late for dinner, which didn't matter, for I was the only one in my cabin anyway, although it did mean that my favourite part of the meal - the pizza - was nearly all gone. My friends didn't attempt to talk to me about what I had just been told – which I'm sure they knew about, if I knew Lucas – and, thankfully, the rest of camp seemed unaware. I wasn't sure I would be able to keep my mouth shut if there was another round of 'let's all stare at Scarlet Swan'.

I was feeling okay about the quest. I knew that it would be extremely dangerous, and I was aware that there was a strong likelihood that I would die, yet I was actually quite excited. Perhaps it was to be able to use my newfound sword fighting skills, and to learn more about my powers. I secretly suspected it was to do with the pride Mr D mentioned, and that I wanted to do something more than the other campers, set myself above average…. But I tried not to admit that to myself.

Once dinner had ended, I quickly made a sacrifice to Zeus, having forgotten, but I didn't see any problem, being as I was thinking about a life or death quest that I was partaking to appease his bitter wife. Because of this, I was the last one to arrive at the beach. Nobody was really in their normal spirits when I arrived - except perhaps Helia, who was always bright, from what I'd seen - and Lucas, who either cried or made jokes during times like this, and it was the latter he had decided upon.

"Hey Scarley… Lucas told us…" Sofia said quietly when I sat down in between her and the goat himself.

"That doesn't surprise me." I responded, glaringly at my satyr friend.

"What are you implying?" Lucas challenged, however I wasn't in the mood. Night was approaching and the reality was sinking in. I ran my hand through my hair and rested my elbow on my knees, as though that would somehow stop the headache coming on.

"So when are we leaving?" Helia asked. I turned around, stunned.

"What?"

"My friend was asking when we are leaving for the quest." Alfie summed up.

"What makes you all think you're coming?" I retorted.

"We're definitely coming, Scarlet." Dean informed me kindly. "Whether you like it or not."

"I second that!" Lucas shouted dramatically.

"Come on, Scarley. I can't let you go alone." Sofia smiled softly. Oh, Sofia, the irony, for I had been contemplating asking her to come for I couldn't let her _stay _alone. Even though she had Dean now… no, she was _my _best friend.

"You need my eleven and a half years of Camp Half-Blood experience." Helia informed me.

"And I've already done some research as to where we need to be headed." Alfie started. "And I also happened to write an essay for my end of summer session Mythology exam on the old myth."

"Alfie, Cabin Six don't take Mythology…" Helia sighed.

"Okay, so I wrote it for fun, and? The point is, I know about Ladon, and the Hesperides. I'll be able to help."

"Fine." I exclaimed, before another argument started. "You can all come, but if any of you die, it isn't my fault."

"Without us, you'd be the one dying, Scarlet." Replied Helia cheerfully.

"Oh, absolutely." I scoffed.

Our gathering ended quite abruptly after that. There seemed to be problems at the bonfire, so Helia had to rush and sort it out, as Cabin Seven were in charge of it. Of course, Alfie wanted to help his best friend, leaving the four of us alone. Sofia then announced she was tired and headed back to her cabin, although I suspect it was purely due to worry over the quest. Knowing Sofia like I did, I had a feeling she was more worried about the rest of us than herself. This left me with Lucas and Dean, however Lucas had gone off into one of his 'deep and thoughtful' states, so was only with us physically.

"Dean, don't feel you have to come, just because Sofia is." I burst out. It had been bothering me ever since he expressed his wish to come, and I was intensely paranoid that he would die and it would only be because he wanted to impress Sofia, or something stupid like that.

"Do you actually think that?" He asked, looking surprised.

"Well, yeah, it may have crossed my mind." I said defensively.

"Scarlet, you're my cousin… I guess. So I'm coming for you."

"That's… um… well… thank you, Dean." I mumbled awkwardly, surprised, but nevertheless thankful.

"Like, we're related. In a way." Dean shrugged. "I've always been told that family are the most important thing."

"Apart from daughters of Aphrodite?" Lucas chirped in, straight back to his normal self. Dean quietly laughed to himself, whilst I checked the time and groaned.

"It's past curfew… do we risk staying and getting eaten by harpies?"

"Nope, see you at dawn!" Lucas exclaimed and bolted off. Dean and I looked at each other.

"Ten minutes?" He suggested.

"Yeah." I agreed. And we never really spoke during that ten minutes, but I felt like we bonded, in a way. He was honestly beginning to feel like family to me, and I had begun to notice some similarities, and I even began to deem him good enough for my best friend.


	10. Chapter Ten - And Off We Go

That night, it was safe to say, I didn't sleep very much. Despite my casual remarks the evening before about how I would be fine and wasn't at all nervous… yeah, well, I _got _the massive headache that I felt coming on at the beach, and in the dark and facing a giant Greek statue of my dad… I started to feel the dread.

It wasn't necessarily the thought of failing that had me tossing and turning. I was determined to succeed, I _had _to succeed… but it was a serious concern of mine that my friends were coming. I'd known Sofia all my life. She was my best friend and if I lost her because of some stupid quest for a petty goddess… I wasn't sure what I'd do.

Lucas, who I'd known for a year, was very important to me also. He was so silly and defenceless… how would he defend himself if we were attacked? Then Dean, my newfound cousin, I felt a bond with. And Sofia's deep care for him… she'd be torn.

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind like a swarm of bees, and as much as I tried to fight them off as I would an attacking monster - or a stray Ares camper - it was a lot harder to fight your own mind. However, by the time dawn had come, I was instantly tired. It was all I could do to drag myself out of my bunk and practically fall to the floor.

I looked around at my increasingly messy cabin, owing to the fact that I had been gathering more and more stuff since arriving at camp. There was no point me tidying up for Cabin Inspection, so I merely got changed into some comfortable shorts, orange camp T-shirt and a grey jacket, brushed my hair and teeth, and then packed my rucksack.

Being new to the quest business, I wasn't entirely sure what I was supposed to pack. I decided to throw in a new top, my black skirt, some ambrosia and nectar Amber gave me, and my purse. I wasn't aware, but Mum must have put it in my bag with all my savings. When I say 'all', I meant sixty pounds, for I always spent it, but that made me feel slightly more positive about the quest. We were all to be given thirty pounds as well, so the more money we got the easier it would be to travel.

After having left my cabin, I came to the realisation that I was running late. I could see Alfie and Sofia walking up the hill together in the distance, and Dean, Helia and Lucas waiting with Chiron at the top. Noticing this, my tired walk turned into a jog, and I quickly caught up with Alfie and Sofia.

"All ready?" I asked them.

"Of course." Alfie responded immediately.

"I think so…" Sofia answered uncertainly.

"Cool."

The rest of the walk up to the top was complete silence, which was abruptly broken by an annoyingly chirpy Lucas and Helia.

"Well you took your time! Amateurs." Lucas exclaimed.

"Come on, we need to go soon!" Helia urged.

"Guys, please stop talking…" Dean groaned, looking like keeping his eyes open was a massive struggle as he opened his arms out for Sofia to hug him.

"Chiron, when _are _we going?" I asked. Chiron was talking to some bloke with eyes covering every surface of his skin. I didn't really think much of it, what with everything I had seen in the last week or so. Once I had asked my question, Chiron turned and smiled slightly sadly.

"Ah, Scarlet. If I may have a word, before you go."

Absolutely charming; he evidently didn't think much of my questing abilities. Slightly worried - and slightly angered about his reaction - I walked towards him. I could hear Lucas clowning about with Dean, whilst Alfie, Helia and Sofia spoke quietly with one another. The man with all the eyes saw me approaching, nodded slightly, and then jogged slightly down the hill towards the parked up van, in the exact same spot where my mother had parked.

As soon as I made this connection, my mind began to fill with guilt over my lack of homesickness I had been feeling, but Chiron came to the rescue.

"I want to wish you the greatest luck on your quest. Which I'm sure you won't need." He added quickly to the end.

"If you don't think I need it then why wish me it?" I asked, glaring slightly, however also giving away half a smile.

"A little extra luck would never hurt, would it?" He reproached. I shrugged. "Scarlet, whether you admit it or not, you're incredibly worried about this. But you will do fine, I can guarantee. You're sword fighting is already exceptional and you have incredible power. You just have to watch out for your pride. Accept the help of your friends, for if you don't, that's when you will fail."

I was a bit taken aback by the sudden motivational speech, and so it was a couple of moments before I responded with; "I will, um… try and bear that in mind. Thank you, Chiron." I tried to make the last bit sound a bit more genuine, for I felt the first bit sounded kind of blunt.

"Can we go now?" Dean asked impatiently, and I looked round and he was resting his head against Sofia's and appeared to be half asleep. Sofia, on the other hand, looked completely awake and alert, while also nervous.

I smiled slightly to myself, then quickly wiped it away in case somebody saw me looking, then looked back up to Chiron, for he hadn't answered yet. He was watching the man with all the eyes at the bottom of the hill, and they seemed to be having a silent exchange, which I tried to follow but my brain just wasn't with it.

"Argus is ready to take you all up now." Chiron informed me suddenly, with a sense of urgency about him.

"Who's Argus?" I asked, dazed.

"Argus," Alfie just had to answer the question, "is the head of security here, hence the eyes covering his entire body."

"I see." I simply replied, as we all half walked, half jogged down the hill. Before we climbed into the van, we all, simultaneously, looked back up at Chiron, who was standing in his giant horse form, looking down on us.

"Heroes." He called out. "Good luck."

We all thanked him, although Lucas was by far the loudest and most dramatic. Sofia and I climbed into two of the three front seats of the van, whilst Alfie, Dean and Lucas climbed into the back. Helia, however, remained outside, and continued to look up at Chiron. Sofia looked at me, confused, then looked outside at Helia. Eventually, she climbed into the back, squeezing next to Dean, and her blue eyes were definitely shinier than normal and she kept averting eye contact.

Of course. Helia had been at camp since she was three, pretty much brought up by Chiron. She had never left camp before. This must be a very strange experience for her, and it was then that I really began to see what a mystery Helia Underwood was. Pretty much as soon as I noticed her emotional exterior, she was straight back to ordinary Helia, who was flirting with Lucas and mocking Alfie and Dean. I looked at Sofia to see if she had noticed, and she had. We looked at each other meaningfully, before we silently began to mutter to each other.

"How are you feeling, then?" she asked me.

"Brilliant, this is going to be fun, you?"

"Yeah… fine." Sofia answered uncertainly. I looked at her, not sure whether to venture into discussion, but looked back and was aware that the others were listening in, so I decided against this.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. As we headed into London, it became apparent at how unused to human society Helia was. The best bit was probably when we started driving through the M25, amidst the mild traffic, with people with "strange white things" in their ears and mobile phones in hand. She mused over the fast food restaurants, and everything else so, utterly human. Alfie, having lived in London for nine years, was fairly used to it, however, as quick as ever, noticed some advances.

"Look at the size of that TV!" He exclaimed from the back. I heard him talk about dimensions and mass to the others in the back, which, as per usual, I drifted away from, only to find Sofia nudging me excitedly with her elbows.

"Scarley! Look where we are!"

Sceptically, I looked out of the window, and gave a quick gasp in shock. We could only be in Enfield Town High Street. The streets were almost empty at half past six, only the early Church goers were around, who were off to St Georges Church around the corner.

"Check it out!" Lucas exclaimed. "We're in Enfield!"

"Enfield?" Dean questioned.

"Sofia and I were brought up here." I answered.

"Interesting." Responded Alfie.

"Not really."

Argus swerved into the car park where the market took place every Saturday, next to the rundown Kings Head pub, and managed to obtain the last free space. Once parked, the sound of unclicking seatbelts filled the van and the sliding sound of the the doors opening created a jolt of nervous excitement through my veins. I followed Sofia out of the car, and regretted not bringing leggings. The sun shone brightly, yet a cold chill trickled through the air.

Argus came out with us, and handed us all the thirty pound each, which we thanked him for greatly, and placed into our rucksack. He smiled at us, before he hopped back into the van and started it with a jolt, before driving off. That was it. We were alone now, and unsupervised. The quest had begun.

"So, my little, half-human friends, where do we go?" Lucas asked casually.

All heads turned towards me expectantly. Was I supposed to have revised where we were ought to be heading? If so, then we were screwed.

"The Garden of the Hesperides." I answered, knowing full well that this wasn't the answer that they needed. I couldn't let on that I had no idea where I was going, though.

"Which is where?" Dean continued to ask.

"Devon." Alfie immediately answered. I glared at him.

"What?"

"The Garden of the Hesperides is in Exmoor. Didn't you look it up?"

"Evidently not." I retorted, angry. This was supposed to be _my_ quest, and I refused to let Alfie take over.

"Guys, let's not argue!" Sofia pleaded suddenly. "We've only been on the quest for five minutes, and already you two have started. We need to work together for this to be a success. No more swiping, please?"

Dean, as an automatic reaction, reached over to hug Sofia and looked at her protectively.

"I'm sorry, I just can't stand the arguing." Sofia said guiltily.

"Don't be sorry, Sofia." Dean reprimanded.

"Hm, right." I stammered. "Yes… let's, um, head to the tube. From there we can get to the train station and reach Devon."

"Will we be able to afford it though?"

"We'll have to find out when we get there. Probably." Was all I could come up with.

"Let's get going then, I'm bored." Helia sighed. "Plus, I want to see more of London."

"This area isn't particularly exciting, Helia." I almost grinned.

And things seemed almost normal for the next few minutes. I led the way to Oakwood tube station; Sofia and Dean held hands and I overheard them speaking about their childhoods. Soppy idiots. Helia was apparently entertaining Lucas and Alfie with her astonishment at all things human. Which left me to muse over the quest.

So, the Garden of the Hesperides was in Exmoor. From my experience of train travel, I was beginning to feel panicked that maybe we couldn't afford to get from the south east to the south west. Thirty pounds each… even if we could, we would have practically no money left for emergencies, such as food…

We were just walking down Slades Hill, heading towards a pub called the Jolly Farmers, when we faced our first attack. The monster flew down in front of us on the pavement, and I was shell-shocked. It was a shrivelled bat, with leathery wings, claws and a mouth full of fangs. The eyes were charcoal coloured. It brandished a fiery whip and it screeched at us, definitely the most intimidating monster I had faced.

"_Di immortales_, a Fury!" Lucas gasped, automatically retreating. I clicked my fingers, as Alfie joined me with his spear, and Helia with her bow and arrow. Dean was cursing as he tried to retrieve his sword from his rucksack.

"Your time is up, Daughter of Zeus." The Fury hissed, and swooped down to me. I rose my sword but Helia pulled me out the way.

"Helia, what the fu…" I started, but then noticed that the whip had been swung exactly where I'd been standing. I'd have been burned to death in a matter of seconds.

"Scarlet, fly!" Alfie shouted. "Helia, attack plan 7."

I noticed how I got the simple direction, while Helia got a fancy 'attack plan', but I did so, rising into the air.

It was easier said than done, what with the Fury also being able to fly.

"Accept death, Scarlet Swan."

"Hmm, no."

I then made the ridiculous decision to fly onto the Fury, grabbing it by the neck and wrapping my legs on either side, being flung around as it tried to shake me off, shrieking as it did. This was logical to me, as it meant that I was out of range of the whip, its mouth and claws, yet I could easily fall off, and then I'd be buggered. Helia sensed the opportunity I had given her and aimed an arrow for one of the Fury's eyes. Being the superb archer that she was, the arrow blinded one of the monster's eyes in a matter of seconds. The Fury shrieked some more, beginning to sound slightly mad.

"Hades will have your souls!" I carried on gripping, only the energy was being drained out of me. I knew that if I let go, the Fury would kill me straight away, yet I ached to be down on the ground, fighting with my sword.

Being blinded in one eye by Helia meant that the Fury could no longer fly properly, and it fell down. Alfie, expecting this, quickly swooped in with his spear. The Fury swung its whip in his direction, and for a horrible moment there was silence. Then a screech that I thought would deafen us all filled the surroundings, and the Fury vaporised - Alfie standing victorious. This happened all very suddenly, and so I fell - once again - to the ground, only this time I didn't sprain my ankles. I quickly sprang back up, adrenaline still pumping my veins.

"You guys okay?"

"Yeah, course I am." Helia breathed heavily, putting her bow back in her bag.

"I did nothing." Dean sounded a bit like a petulant child. I looked at Sofia, who was pale and her eyes were a sad green. I wondered whether the Fury had startled her, but I had to deal with Lucas.

"A Kindly One! Here! Hades has it in for you, Scarlet."

"Lucas, get a grip and tell me what a Fury even is."

"Basically," Alfie intercepted, "the Three Furies are Hades' personal torturers. They only listen to him, and so if one has attacked you, it's very likely he wants you dead."

"Why?" I asked scornfully. "I've done nothing to offend him. Bit like Hera. Why are all these gods wanting me dead?" I was seriously angry at this point. I watched a coach drive past and screwed my eyebrows up in thought.

"It's because you're…"

"Yes, Alfie, I know it's because of who my daddy is." I snapped. I noticed everyone staring at me. "Sorry."

"Did she just say 'sorry'?" Lucas exclaimed. Dean laughed.

"Yes, I did. Let's just hurry up and get to the tube." I surged forwards, and was shortly joined by Sofia.

"What's the time?" Is what she asked me. I checked the time on my iPod.

"It's now quarter past seven. Tube shouldn't be too busy, should it?"

"Not on a Sunday, no… you were really good back then."

"Yeah, but I wish I actually fought it."

"At least you did something."

"Hey." I stopped, and tried to look straight at her, but her height made it difficult. "That was only one fight, and it just so happened it played up to our strengths. Guaranteed that during this quest, we'll all be in awe at some brilliant win of yours."

"Really, though?"

"Yes."

Sofia smiled at me gratefully, and we found ourselves at Oakwood station. We went in, and used the self-service to buy tickets. I went up first, and the ticket cost me two to three pounds. A simple ticket; no line changes. Just Piccadilly, to get to Kings Cross. I estimated, from my time on the Underground, it should take about half an hour. While the others bought their tickets - Sofia helping out Helia and even a frustrated Alfie with using self-service - I calculated the timings. I estimated the predicted arrival time at Kings Cross was about eight o'clock. I hurried the others along down the steps leading to both the Westbound and Eastbound stations. The Westbound platform was practically empty, and as Oakwood was the first stop on the Piccadilly Westbound train, I was sure the entire tube would be empty too.

"I thought the tube was supposed to be underground?" Helia asked, confused.

"Oakwood isn't, it goes underground later." Alfie answered. How he knew this I didn't know.

"Never been on a tube before." Dean announced.

"Same…" Helia sounded more ominous than Dean.

The tube pulled up, and we all piled on, managing to get a carriage to ourselves.

"Just think you guys should know," Lucas started, "that satyrs and the underground… don't make a good combination."

"Neither does the underground and children of Apollo…" Helia added, sitting with her legs up to her chin and her arms wrapped around them. Helia put on such an act of being great and fearless at everything, that this took me by surprise. I looked at Sofia in disbelief.

"So that's why you didn't want to come to Covent Garden with us." I said to Lucas, in sudden realisation. The tube began to move, and while Alfie tried to comfort a petrified Helia and Lucas, I conversed with my best friend and cousin.

"Having fun?"

"Tons." Dean replied, full of sarcasm.

"You never had to come."

"No, I know. I wanted to. But listening to Lucas screech isn't fun." Dean turned to Lucas. "Mate, seriously. Goat up."

"Okay, son of flowers."

"_Agriculture." _Dean then got up to try and distract Lucas, and I looked out to the zooming darkness, lost in thought.


	11. Chapter Eleven - Trains

Nothing, surprisingly, happened when we got to Kings Cross. It was just our luck that a train that headed to the station nearest Exmoor – Taunton – was at quarter to nine, and so we hung about the departures board for a bit. None of us even spoke. Dean and Sofia were… at it… whilst Helia was looking around like a rabbit at a headlights. Alfie was studying a map of England, and drawing out our route in pencil, and so Lucas and I decided to play a game of 'spot the hipster'. I won, with a staggering total of 13 hipsters crossing our path.

We took a short train from Kings Cross to Paddington. The tickets all cost twenty quid each, so I had plenty of cash left. Again, due to it being early on a Sunday, the train was fairly empty. I ended up next to Helia, who was a lot happier above ground and spoke to me a little about her past. Not much, mind, for Helia seemed happier to keep things to herself.

"Originally, I'm from Birmingham." She told me casually.

"Oh right." I said, interestedly. "Where abouts?"

"I can't remember _that_." She sighed at me, rolling her eyes and like I was being silly. I nodded once, then looked outside.

Once our train pulled up in Paddington, we had about an hour and a half to kill, so I suggested we all go to the McDonalds and get a breakfast. After a week of healthy camp meals, I was just itching for a bacon sandwich, which made Lucas look at me disgustedly for ordering. He ordered himself a coffee – apparently satyrs loved them – while Alfie and Dean both went for an Egg McMuffin. Helia had never been to a McDonalds before, and so I suggested she get a pancake, which she did.

Sofia took the longest deciding. She deliberated between having a bacon sandwich, like me, and simply having a muffin. She wondered which would be better for her weight.

"Sofia, you don't need to worry. You're fine." Dean sighed. She turned to him.

"Fine? So you're basically saying I'm fat." I wasn't sure why she was so highly strung, but I suspected the stress of the quest.

"No, I'm not." Dean sounded annoyed now.

"You know what, I'll have nothing." And with that, Sofia stormed off to the nearest table for six. I ordered a muffin, knowing that she'll change her mind, and we all sat down around the table.

"We all, other than Scarlet, who has her savings, have five pounds left. We probably need to get some more money, somehow." Alfie mused.

"No, we don't. I have sixty five pounds, which should do us." I didn't really participate; I was enjoying my breakfast too much. Lucas drew the short straw and disappeared to get us all cans of fizzy drinks from the vending machines.

"That's your savings though, Scarlet." Helia protested. "We can't spend your savings."

"What else am I going to spend it on? University?"

"Well, you have to plan ahead for those type of things." Alfie contributed.

"No, you do, Alfie. I don't."

"I still don't feel comfortable with it." Helia decided. "Good job I have an idea how to raise a bit more cash."

"What is this idea?" Alfie grimaced nervously. Helia merely winked in return, and the three of us got on with our breakfast.

"Sofia, you're being pathetic." Dean shook his head.

"You called me fat, Dean. We've been seeing each other, what, three days?"

"I never called you fat! I said you were fine!"

"Ooh." Lucas sighed, coming back with two Diet Cokes, for me and Alfie, a Coca Cola for Helia and a Sprite each for Dean and Sofia. "You _never _tell a girl that."

"Since when did you become the expert?" Dean looked up, amused.

"Since always."

Sofia sighed and looked away from Dean. Dean looked back at her.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I am. You're perfect. Okay?"

Sofia made a sudden transition from being the moodiest cow to walk the planet, which was very uncharacteristic of her, to brighter than Helia. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"As quest leader, I'm going to limit the amount of times you two do that." I said distastefully. "Now, Helia, what's your plan?"

"Scarlet, follow me outside. This is going to be great. And can we borrow your hat, Lucas?"

"Not exactly, Helia, people might see my horns…"

"Thank you!" Helia took the hat off of Luca's head, winking at him. I quickly gave the muffin to Sofia - who laughed, now embarrassed and I followed Helia outside McDonalds.

"Helia, seriously, what are we doing?"

"Busking." She grinned.

I had a double take.

"Helia, no." I said defensively. "I am _not _busking in the middle of Paddington Station. No way!"

"It'll be a laugh, and a great way to get some money. My dad's the god of music, it'll be fine."

"Mine isn't!" I protested. I turned to walk away when Helia grabbed my arm, but let go suddenly.

"Static shock…" she muttered.

"Oh, sorry." I didn't sound very sorry. I was used to giving people strong static shocks, and it was only since I got claimed I realised why.

"Scarlet, it's worth a try, surely?" Helia pleaded, her blue eyes bright and wide. I stared at her a minute, and sighed, irritated.

"Fine. But I'm not singing."

"Yes you are. I'll sound good enough for the both of us." She grinned wickedly. She held up Lucas' cap, and began to sing. _"Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike, he's down on his luck…"_

"Bon Jovi, really?"

"I don't know any other music." Helia shrugged. "He was a son of Apollo, too, so he's kind of Cabin Seven's musical icon, which is how I know him… _Gina works on the diner all day, working for her man, she brings home her pay, for love… for love_… for fucks sake, come on Scarlet!"

"YOU GOT TO HOLD ON, TO WHAT WE GOT, IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERNCE IF YOU MAKE IT OR NOT." I shouted more than sung.

"WE GOT EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S A LOT, FOR LOVE… WE'LL GIVE IT A SHOT." Helia continued, and then we burst into the chorus together, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. People even came and put money in the hat, which Helia placed on the floor. Not lots, mind, but anything would do.

"_OH, WE'RE HALFWAY THERE, OH, WE'RE LIVING ON A PRAYER, TAKE MY HAND, WE'LL MAKE IT I SWEAR, OH, LIVING ON A PRAYER."_ That bit we really went for, but I didn't know the next bit, so just swayed.

"_Tommy got his six string in hock…" _Helia started, but then we were interrupted, A couple of blokes, about forty odd, approached us, and I instantly marked them down as perverts. One tried to grope Helia, while the other came uncomfortably close to me.

"Fuck off." I hissed at them, trying to nudge him away, but no good. I had no brute strength - just bony elbows, and a lot of skill with a sword. Unfortunately, celestial bronze just passed straight through mortals, so it wouldn't work if I just got out my sword. Typical Londoners just passed straight by us, without bothering to help.

"It's alright, darling." The man smiled at me, and it made me want to puke. "If you need some money, you just have to do me some favours."

I tried to punch this bloke in the face, and he just grabbed my wrist. I settled by spitting in his eye, which seemed to only amuse him more.

"You bastard."

Helia was having more luck. Cabin Seven took wrestling lessons, and so she was able to kick her attacker in his soft spot, and punch him in the gut, winding him. This caused him to kneel over, although, due to Helia's optimistic nature, she believed that would be the end of it, and the man caught her by surprise by grabbing her by the hair.

"Oi." Dean had joined the scene. He took the bloke with me, grabbed him by the T-shirt and pulled him away. I gasped, a delayed reaction of panic setting in. Dean then knocked the arsehole out. I looked over to Helia, and saw that Alfie had done the exact same, only his was more artfully done; more karate like than wrestling.

"I was handling it, Dean." I protested.

"Scarlet, you evidently weren't." Dean sighed.

"Shut it." I snarled. There was nothing I hated more than someone fighting my battles.

"Guys," Helia said weakly. Alfie had an arm around her. "I hate to break up the family dispute, but a crowd have gathered."

I looked around and noticed that a small crowd had indeed come to watch. Not help us out or anything, just watch, and once they realised the action had ceased, they all departed.

"Humans are so stupid." Alfie shook his head. Lucas and Sofia, linking arms, came out of McDonalds.

"Are you two okay?" Sofia asked, wide eyed and worried.

"Yep, thanks to these two heroes." Helia grinned at Alfie and Dean. Sofia automatically looked immensely proud and hugged Dean. Lucas handed the four of us our drinks, which I nearly drank in one go.

"Steady on." Lucas smirked.

"I was just attacked, while you sat on your hairy goat hind." I retorted. "I'm going to check the departures board."

I marched away, leaving Sofia to fuss over Dean, while Helia, Alfie and Lucas discussed … whatever. I saw that our train was boarding on Platform 6, so I rushed back, and we collected our things before racing to our train. Sofia and Dean sat next to each other again, however Helia and Alfie swapped, so I was next to Owl Face.

At first, it was awkward. I wasn't as close to him as the others and I couldn't think of a plausible conversation starter. He was evidently feeling the same. I rolled my eyes, then suddenly remembered one of the only things I learned in Year 9, by Chiron.

"I thought Athena was a virgin." I announced. Alfie looked at me suspiciously.

"She is." He answered it like I was just being stupid.

"Hm, how stupid of me for being confused… I mean, it's not like she has eight demigod children, or anything." I snapped, folding my arms.

"She doesn't conceive like that." Alfie explained. "Children of Athena are brain children, and we are sprung from the divine thoughts of our mother, and mortal ingenuity of our father. We're brain children, as Athena was one herself. She sprung from Zeus' head in full body armour. We are then carried down by Zephyr the West Wind, in a golden cradle, deposited at the doorstep of our father."

"Oh. Well, my parents just had sex." I shrugged. "Do you have a bellybutton, then?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"No ambilical cord…" This time it was my turn to treat _him_ like he was being stupid. "Anyway, you ever met Athena?"

"Yeah, once. When I was eight."

"Hold on… you were still living at home when you were eight."

Alfie put his head against his seat, and sighed.

"Mind your own business, Scarlet."

"Are you asking for a punch in the face?" My threat went ignored by Alfie, so I settled for glaring at him until he looked back at me.

"What?"

"Do demigods usually get to see their parents? And you _are _going to answer me."

Alfie sighed again. "No. Not normally. They aren't supposed to interfere. But Athena wasn't interfering with me. She came to my house, in central London. Dad had always told me about Athena and my godly ancestry so I was amazed, really, when she turned up. It was my eighth birthday, and Dad had taken my step-mum Julia, out for dinner, bringing my two year old half-sister, Gabriella. He had already been at work all day and Julia decided to pretend I wasn't there. Dad gave me a Nintendo, but didn't actually say anything to me. So, Athena came. She gave me a present – a book, written in Ancient Greek, with all the myths. Dad had always been frustrated that I couldn't read books in English, because of my dyslexia, yet Ancient Greek was easy. And that was that. A year later, after Lily was born, and shortly before Julia fell pregnant again with Frances, I left. I ran away, until a satyr found me, and took me to camp. Dad wrote to me once Frances was born, but it wasn't an affectionate letter. I always saw it as gloating. He's a prize twat, Scarlet."

"I think that might just be a 'dad' thing." I informed him. "Mines never even spoke to me."

"That's different; he's an Olympian. I was speaking to Sofia, and her dad's always been good to her, right?"

"Mr Moretti is lovely." I confirmed. I looked back at Sofia, to see if she heard, but she was asleep with her head resting on Dean's shoulder, who was asleep also.

"Those two, from what I've observed, seem to have formed a really close relationship in such a small space of time. 75% of the time, those relationships tend to be false, but they seem to be the real thing. Quite… nice." Alfie seemed to struggle to find a suitable word. "Bit irritating, though."

"Hm. I was all prepared to hate Dean, and prepared numerous threats in my head to direct at him before I went to sleep in Cabin One." I said. "Then we started our whole cousin thing, so I decided to let him off."

"How nice of you." Alfie said weakly. "And you don't care at all, that your best friend of ten years has found somebody?"

"No." I snapped. "Why, do you assume that I ache for a relationship now? No, Alfie. I'm happy for her. Like you said, it's irritating, but it was expected. Sofia's always had guys trailing after her, and it was only a matter of time before she liked one back. I'm just relieved Dean isn't an arsehole."

"You misunderstood me." Alfie responded. We both knew I didn't.

"Just don't mistake me for some hormone enraged teen who needs a guy to make her life worth living. I'm not. I have more important things to worry about, and don't _need _anyone."

"Oh, you're definitely hormone enraged." Alfie smirked. "Just anger, aggression and paranoia instead."

"Very funny." I grimaced. We spent the rest of the trip planning what to do when we got to Taunton. The estimated arrival time was quarter past one, and so Alfie and I looked at the map he had drawn out.

"We somehow need to get from Taunton Station to Exmoor."

"Well it's mainly country, so we should just be able to walk it."

"You reckon? So what do you propose the plan should be?"

"We won't be able to get to Exmoor today anyway, so I think we just need to find a place to set up camp."

"Fine by me."

"I wasn't asking your permission."

The two of stopped talking, and I instead listened in to Helia and Lucas' conversation from behind us. It sounded as though Lucas was educating Helia in music, after she expressed that she only knew Bon Jovi.

"Right, you need to listen to Taylor Swift, if you get the chance. And The Spice Girls, they're just legendary."

I had to intervene.

"No, Helia, don't do that. Listen to Nirvana, or The Foo Fighters. The Smiths are good too, and Arctic Monkeys…"

"Helia, do you really want to become like Scarlet?"

"Helia, do you really want to become like Lucas?"

Helia announced that she couldn't decide which one of us to listen to without actually listening to the artists we were suggesting. I made a mental note, if we survived this, to introduce Helia to my selected bands. I was slightly confused, to be honest. Helia had fifteen siblings – meaning sixteen kids in the Apollo cabin, which meant that every bunk was filled, but nobody was on the floor. The perfect number. But back to the point, it confused me that Helia was so ignorant when it came to music, as at least _some _of her siblings must have introduced her to t. They were children of the music god! I made another mental note to ask Helia about this.

The train finally rolled in at Taunton. We collected our things and Alfie woke up a still sleeping Sofia and Dean, in a very pleasant manner…

"Wake up, you idiots."

The six of us, dead legged, made our way out and an old friend of Sofia, Lucas and mine met us at the station. The sphinx from Tufford. The exact one, it had to have been.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked.

"She didn't stay vaporised long… unluckily for us." Lucas yelped.

"It's definitely the same one…" Sofia muttered.

We all instantly armed ourselves, as the sphinx hissed.

"Those weapons won't defend you, foolish half-bloods." The sphinx laughed manically. "I will have you lunch!"

The sphinx lunged towards a startled Sofia, who was pulled out the way by Alfie. They both tumbled to the floor. Dean and I took aim with our swords, while Helia cursed that she can't find an arrow, having must have used them up on the Fury. Lucas got out his reed pipes and began to play a song. After the song had been playing for a while, a high pitched noise rang the air, which the sphinx was evidently highly sensitive to. She roared in indignation.

Dean and I both spread apart, and went on each side of the lion, but she seemed to be onto us. She turned to me, and recognition passed through her eyes. With anger, she leapt at me. I rolled out of the way, only to find her running in my direction. I used my shield to block her attack, so she ran into the celestial bronze metal. This dazed her, which enabled Dean and I to both stab her whilst she was distracted. I hoped the double stab would mean she would stay gone.

The kill was quick, and that was a small relief, but I was highly confused.

"Chiron killed her at Tufford School… how is she back?"

"Monsters don't die." Alfie told me. "Their essence gets sent back to Tartarus. It could be a matter of days, or years, but they eventually come back."

"Isn't Tartarus that massive pit in the Underworld where the chopped up bits of Kronos are?" I asked.

"Yep, and also where monsters go."

"Well, nice to know they'll come back one day." Dean said sarcastically. "Sofia, are you okay? I was scared shitless when she attacked you."

Sofia looked like she was going to start crying.

"I did nothing, yet again." She said bitterly.

"Sofia, it's fine, we had it." Dean went over and comforted her.

"But I want to help! I hate this, I feel so useless."

"You're not useless, Sofia. You're great." Helia disagreed. "You can Charmspeak! That's like, the coolest thing ever."

"Not helpful in a fight though."

Sofia looked at me desperately, wanting me to understand, and I could see her anguish so plainly. I decided that the best course of action would be to change the subject completely.

"Come on, we need to get a move on." I announced, highly conscious of the mortals around the station looking at us suspiciously. I knew that the Mist would have made them see something different to what actually happened, yet I knew that it still couldn't have been good. One of them had got their phones out and taken a picture, and another was on the phone. Brilliant. I had a funny, horrible feeling that the police would soon be onto us.

"Yeah, Let's." Sofia agreed, a steely edge I'd never heard in her voice before. This worried me, more than the prospect of the one-hundred headed dragon we'd soon be facing.


	12. Chapter Twelve - Tesco Explodes

A couple of hours later we had found ourselves a nice bit of field to set up camp. I had no idea where we were, and Alfie's map was hopeless. The South West was full of countryside, and so we didn't know what part we were actually in. Sofia and Dean sat down, slightly away from the rest of the group, and spoke with their heads close.

"They're becoming pretty unbearable now." Alfie grimaced.

"Not what you were saying on the train."

"Well is this it for today, then?" Helia asked.

"Yeah." I answered. "We need to work out a way to Exmoor. Lucas, what did you do with those reed pipes, at the station?"

"Oh. Satyr magic."

"And you never thought to tell us before?"

"I thought I did." He replied absentmindedly whilst eating a tin can, while Helia produced a ball of light in her palm. I looked at it impressively.

"I never knew you could do that."

She looked up, and appeared almost smug. "It's cool, right? I'm sure you're all going to need this gift of mine during the quest."

"Yes, Helia." Alfie yawned. "Because you're the gift of the gods, we know."

"At least," She turned to Alfie, an eyebrow raised. "I actually _have _a power. Rather than the power of 'reading Ancient books' and 'analysing scrolls'."

"Without knowledge and wisdom, your powers would be useless." Alfie countered. "I don't think there's anything mediocre about a strong mind."

Helia laughed, shaking her head at her best friend. I observed the two of them and a thought struck me like lightning.

"Would I have other powers, do you think?"

"You give off really bad static shocks." Helia remarked, and I remembered how I gave her one at the train station. I could almost see Alfie's brain whirring.

"If we looked further into that," He thought aloud, "we should be able to try and decipher whether it's just a reflex reaction in the body, or whether it's actually a part of your genetic code from your father. If that is the case then we can see if it can be maximised, lengthening the distance it travels, and strength. And…"

"Basically send electricity." I cut him off. I then shut my eyes and decided it might just be worth a shot to try and concentrate on electricity running through my veins. I stretched my arm up and I felt a tingling sensation in my fingertips. I opened my eyes as blue electricity flew out. Thankfully Alfie and Helia - who were sitting in front of me - dived out the way. I noticed how they were both staring, along with Lucas. Even Sofia and Dean had turned around.

"How did you… why…" Sofia stammered.

"Zeus. God of lightning." Alfie informed.

"Do you think she could actually summon lightning?" Dean asked.

I was feeling slightly weird after producing the electricity, I wasn't drained, but I felt a bit sick. I knew that once I'd gotten used to it, it'd be fine. Like with the flying, but I didn't want to try anything new just yet.

"Right," I changed the subject, "I think we need to go and find some food."

"Couldn't we have done that before we settled ourselves here?" Lucas moaned, falling to the grass and lying down.

"We don't all have to go." I mused. "I'll go, and then Sofia can come with me."

"Helia's going to stay with me and I'm going to introduce her to my music." Lucas informed me solemnly.

"I'll go, then." Alfie grumbled.

"Don't sound so excited." I retorted. I was quite glad he was coming, as he could track where we went on the map and make it easier for us to get back. I chose Sofia as I wanted to spend some more time with her, and I also had a feeling that doing this would decrease her feeling of being 'useless'. So the three of us shouldered our backpacks and left Lucas, Helia and Dean at our… spot, base, whatever.

* * *

There were a few… um, disagreements… along the way, but we - thanks to Sofia - managed to get to Taunton more or less alive. Once we made it to a main road, Alfie made sure to mark it on the map, and from that we could decipher where our camp was on the way back. We realised that the extremely long road we had been walking down was the A538, and we pretty much followed that into Taunton until we came across a Tesco Express, which just happened to be very near to the station.

"We should just have come here once we got off the train." Alfie commented.

"Yes, well, we didn't, so shut up." I snapped. Truth was, I knew he was right, but it didn't even occur to me to get food. What kind of leader did that make me?

Once we got inside, Sofia used Charmspeak to get the time off a stranger. I couldn't be bothered to get my iPod out. Sofia was too embarrassed to ask without the Charmspeak, and we discovered that the time was nearly eight o'clock. I had no idea how the time went so quick; the walk to and from where we'd set up camp must have taken longer than I thought.

"I have sixty five pounds, and you two combined have ten." I informed them. "Now I'm no good at Maths, but I calculate that to be seventy five pounds, which is more than enough. Let's go!"

We hunted around the shop, and we, very quickly, found enough food. Ready cooked sweet chilli chicken pieces, six packs of prawn pasta salads, two loaves of sliced wholemeal bread, two packets of Foxs Biscuits… the really nice ones, the golden ones. Two eight packs of fizzy drinks – one Diet Coke, one Coca Cola and one six pack of Sprite. Then there was the packet of grapes, two Starbucks iced coffees for Lucas, and then the packed of Leerdammer sliced cheese, as Sofia said we needed some source of calcium, though it didn't appeal to me. I threw in a box of doughnuts, before we proceeded to checkout for pay.

I should have realised something was very wrong when we got there. Not one of the self-checkouts were working and when I looked round, everybody seemed to have left the shop, which I thought was very strange… especially for a Tesco. But I shrugged it off, and Sofia, Alfie and I put all our shopping on the counter, which was being manned by two old ladies. Both of them had very leathery skin, but judging by the colour, it was as though it was due to excessive sun time. They had very dark eyes, which seemed to glow like charcoal, and their dry, grey hair was pulled up. They wore the customary uniform, but it didn't look right on them at all. One of them began to scan our shopping, and seemed to concentrate very hard on this, while the other one stood next to her, considering us. This concerned me. I'd had _more _than enough old ladies knock on my front door back home, to talk to me about the Church, or the local council, and it always made me feel awkward.

Finally, our cashier scanned the last item, and looked up.

"That's forty pounds, ninety two pence." She informed us in a very strange accent. I couldn't place where it was from, but whatever it was, it was raspy and oddly familiar…

I rummaged through my rucksack, to find my purse, then paused. I couldn't feel it. I then swung it round in a panic and searched through. I looked in the front pocket, and I did this twice before I cursed loudly and gave up.

"It's gone." I said, in an oddly high pitched tone. "My purse has gone."

Sofia gasped. "Oh my gods, did you leave it with the others?"

I thought this through. "No."

"Paddington." Alfie said darkly. "Those bastards, when they attacked you and Helia. They must have took your purse."

"Shit, you're right, _di immortales." _I put a thumb and my finger above each eye and looked down, stressed.

"We'll have to take back twenty nine pounds ten pence." Alfie told the old woman, although I was still hoping for Sofia to Charmspeak the woman into letting us go with it for free. I looked at her, and she seemed to know what I was trying to tell her but she didn't appear to want to do it. I guess Charmspeaking two old ladies wasn't morally right to somebody like Sofia.

"Oh, there's no need for that." The old woman smiled, and the three of us stared at her, surprised.

"Excuse me?" I had managed to get myself together from the shock of having my savings stolen from me.

"You don't have to pay the whole price." The second one chirped in, and when she smiled, I realised the two women were practically identical.

"Um, thank you!" I exclaimed.

"But first," said the first woman, "you must do us a favour."

"Whatever you want." The three of us said in sync. The two woman looked at each other, as if they expected us to say that.

"As you can see, the shop has been left in the care of us," said the second woman, "and, due to our age, we cannot muster the strength to take things out from the stockroom."

"Um, shouldn't there be more employees, then?" Alfie asked.

"Oh, there are." The second woman said. This made no sense to me.

"So," the first woman continued, "if you three strong young… heroes, could help out a couple of old ladies, then you can take all your shopping with you. You seem like you need it."

Now, a few things didn't add up here. Firstly, a big company like Tesco would definitely have more than two elderly employees working. Secondly, these old ladies looked _way _over retirement age. Thirdly, one of them called us 'heroes', suggesting she knew we were demigods. Fourthly, they couldn't just let us take thirty pounds of shopping for free! I looked at Alfie, and his expression told me he was thinking along the same lines.

Naturally, the three of us instantly agreed to help.

The stockroom was surprisingly large - and very cold - so I took out my jacket and put it on. The walls and floor was concrete grey, and the place was full of boxes. We had been told to perform a simple task – to restock the frozen meat, as it was out of date. They said that the next day they would stock the other food could be stocked, but it was vital that the meat was restocked instantly.

The area in which they said the meat would be didn't have many boxes. Easy, I thought. Get this done and get thirty pounds of free food. I clicked my finger for Brontes and cut open the first box.

And had to stop myself screaming in shock.

Inside, there was definitely meat. But it was loose, and it wasn't the sort of meat you bought in shops. Flies had begun to gather, and the smell was appalling. I gagged and stepped away.

"What in Hades…" Alfie and Sofia both peered inside and had the same reaction. I used Brontes to open all the boxes and realised that they all contained the same. Then something clicked in Alfie.

"Oh my gods, how could I have been so stupid?" He kicked a nearby box in frustration and it toppled over, causing mounds of broccoli to fall out. "Frozen meat wouldn't be kept in boxes in the storeroom."

"Then what's this?" Sofia asked, pegging her nose to stop the smell.

"Um…" I pursed my lips in horror as I lifted a Tesco polo shirt off the floor. "I think we know what happened to the other employees."

Sofia nearly cried in disgust, and even the reserved Alfie had trouble disguising his fear at the sight before us. I frowned.

"Those old ladies…" I muttered. And, as if summoned, they materialised in front of us.

"Ah, human meat." One of them growled.

"So easily accessible." Added the second.

"So boring."

"_Demigod _meat, on the other hand…"

"Especially daughters of Zeus…" One of them approached me and smiled, and went to touch my hair, which was now becoming more and more sweat filled as I breathed shakily. I slapped her hand away.

"And sons of Athena that kill our sister!" Yelled the other. I suddenly remembered earlier on in the day, when Alfie vaporised the Fury on Slades Hill, all the way back in Enfield. I remembered how the women's voices reminded me of something.

"Furies." I spat out. They laughed.

"It's not often our Lord Hades lets us out of the Underworld." Fury One smiled.

"But he doesn't want you, Scarlet-Rose Swan, to appease Lady Hera."

"He wants you dead."

And with that, the old ladies transformed into their true selves, two more of the hideous monster we saw in the morning. Alfie and I brandished our weapons, and Sofia determinedly took out her celestial bronze knife.

We backed down towards the back wall and it was then, for the first time, I really came face to face with morality. I was sure that we would die. We couldn't take on two Furies, waving about fiery whips. Sofia grabbed hold of my hand and her eyes became a brave shade of green. I looked at Alfie who was staring up, determined and angry. I couldn't let these two die.

Just about when we were going to turn into barbecued demigod kebabs, I pulled Sofia and dived behind a stack of boxes, pushing Alfie with us as we did so. As I momentarily planned, the vegetables and boxes piled on top of us. The whips caught the boxes of human meat alight and there was a stockroom fire. They turned to us, enraged, and we got up and bolted for the door. Obviously it was locked. I cursed.

Sofia looked up shakily and began to talk. "_You will leave us alone." _ She tried to Charmspeak, but she sounded shaky and uncertain and so it didn't work. Her eyes instantly changed to their sad shade of blue and I could tell she was cut up that her power didn't work.

Power. Alfie and I both knew we couldn't attack two of them. Six on one Fury just about worked. Three on two wouldn't. The ratio was too close, and they were monstrously angry. But if I could just use my power.

I couldn't close my eyes this time, but I concentrated as though my life depended on it on electricity passing through my veins, which was hard when the fire at the other end of the room was growing and I was very aware that tins were close by. Once they caught alight, that would be it. We would be burned alive. So I had to act fast, and to my relief, the electricity flew out and zapped one of the Furies, who was about to attack Alfie. I had a brief feeling that Sofia was in the least danger. Well, that she had more time than Alfie and I. As Zeus' daughter, they wanted me dead, of course. They wanted Alfie dead out of revenge.

The Fury didn't vaporise at my electricity, but it was startled, and it fell backwards into the fire. It came from the Underworld, so it wouldn't be harmed, but it was definitely irritated.

"Do the other one!" Alfie roared at me, and while normally I would have punched him for telling me what to do, my life was at risk like it never had been before, and, like at Slades Hill, I decided to listen. I zapped the other one, and that one fell too. The first one I zapped was beginning to get back up, but we were prepared. I tried to ignore the blistering heat as I surged forward a couple of steps and threw Brontes like a javelin.

Javelin wasn't a class at Camp Half-Blood, but it was an activity you could participate in during free time, and was something Lucas challenged me to last Wednesday. I surprised myself with it; better than I thought I'd be. Brontes hit the stumbling Fury straight in the chest and she exploded into monster dust.

I dived forward to collect my sword again; the heat sweltering as I got dangerously close to the fire, and I regretted putting on my jacket. As I dived, the final Fury - now highly pissed - had flown out, and was about to burn me alive when Alfie then leapt forward and sliced her. I had given Alfie the distraction he needed, and the final Fury was no more.

After giving us a second to get our breath back, Sofia then screeched at us.

"Run, now!" While we had been fighting, she managed to unlock the door with her knife, and we burst out of the dreaded stockroom. The shop was freezing cold in comparison, which reacted horribly to the buckets of sweat our bodies had produced. I looked down and realised my camp T-shirt had been burnt in the middle and my skin was pink. You could just see a glimpse of my black A-cup bra, which would have embarrassed me on a normal day but at that time I didn't care. Sofia still managed to look stunning, only her hair had been singed at the bottom, and Alfie looked as rough as I felt – his top, too, had been singed, and he had a burn on his cheek.

Customers in the shop stared at us. Brilliant. The shop had filled again whilst the fight took place, and once they realised that a fire was raging they screamed and ran out. During the commotion, we grabbed our bags of shopping – luckily (if you could call our shopping trip 'lucky') there were exactly three bags, so we took one each and charged out.

Just as we did so, the entire shop exploded. Evidently the tinned food had met the fires (quite literally) of hell. The force of the explosion sent us flying onto the pavement, and then - quickly scrambling to our feet - we rushed away, before any of the customers could finish their phone calls to the fire brigade, and of course, to the police.


	13. Chapter Thirteen - Horatio the Cat

We hardly stopped for breath as we ran down the main road and I noticed some drivers look at us funnily, but nevertheless, we made it back in the country. We were very shaken up about the attack and I had a strong, horrible feeling that it was only the start of it. Alfie's hands shook as he opened his rucksack to get the map, to get us back as quick as possible.

The others saw us when we were about 100 yards away. Dean rushed to Sofia and touched where her hair had been singed at the tips. Lucas stared at Alfie and I in horror. Helia was sleeping.

"What happened?" Lucas cried, sounding like he was on the verge of panic himself. I rummaged through my shopping bag and handed him one of the iced coffees to calm him down, and then we sat down to whisper the story - although Alfie fell asleep almost instantly. I rolled my eyes at this.

Once Sofia and I were done with the tale, Dean shook his head.

"We should have all come."

"There's no point thinking like that." I reprimanded. "What's done is done. And we made it out alive… just."

I noticed that Sofia was oddly quiet again. Knowing the mind set she had on this quest, I could tell she was musing over how she didn't kill a Fury, _and _that her Charmspeak didn't work.

"You did well, Sofia." I told her. She hardly even responded to me, just looked up briefly and shrugged, before settled back to making patterns in the mud. This again was uncharacteristic for our clean freak, but I decided not to carry on talking about it. She evidently wasn't up for that.

"So, we have food!" Dean grinned, trying to change the subject and rummaging through the bags. His grimace told me we forgot something. "You didn't get cereal…"

"Cereal?" I scoffed.

"I love cereal."

"His mum is the goddess of the harvest, of course he does." Sofia spoke up defensively, and laced her arm around Dean. Lucas and I both rolled our eyes at each other, while I got out a can of Diet Coke. I sipped it slowly, rather than gulping it down like I did at the train station.

Lucas - in a moment of rare ingenuity - suggested that one of us stays up on guard duty in case we get attacked during the night. Sofia put herself forward for this, and I believe it was in an attempt to be 'of use'. She held her knife out, and she was definitely a force to be reckoned with,

Lucas, Dean and I, therefore, tried to settle down on the grass, but it wasn't easy. We may have had food and drink, but we had nothing to make us comfortable. I used my jacket as a pillow, but I still felt strange without a duvet, sleeping bag or even something other than grass underneath me. I had never been camping and had spent every night of my life either in my bed at home, on a mattress on the floor in Sofia's room, obviously my bunk in Cabin One and with the occasional hotel bed thrown in too. This was new to me. It apparently wasn't for Dean and Lucas.

"You know, the wild has been completely ruined." Lucas sighed.

"What, you mean litter and pollution and stuff?" Dean asked. They didn't know I was awake.

"Yeah. I mean, mortals just go around dropping crisp packets and McDonalds and drive around on motorbikes and slowly, nature is decreasing. They build on any bit of land they can for profit."

"They tried to do that where I live, in Dartmoor. But everyone protested against it and so it never happened. That's why I like living in the country. People care about it. Unlike in the big cities."

"Nothing wrong with people from big cities." I protested. "Although this camping thing is an entirely new experience for me."

The two boys jumped when they realised I was awake, but carried on talking.

"I always used to do this, when I was younger." Dean sighed. "You know I live on a farm, right?"

"No." I responded sleepily.

"Well, I do. In Dartmoor, so we're actually fairly close to it now. My dad would take my older sister – Hannah - and me out into the farm, and we'd help out. He'd then take us out to camp in the woods, or the country, and we wouldn't have tents or sleeping bags, and he'd point out the different constellations to us."

By the sounds of it, Mr Crown was definitely the kind of bloke to attract Demeter - the goddess of agriculture and harvest. I imagined her as some outdoorsy lady, probably a DofE leader.

"How old's your sister?" Lucas asked him.

"Sixteen." Dean responded. "She's getting her GCSE results this summer."

Dean seemed lost in sad thoughts. I gathered that Dean came from a close family, and I wondered what it would be like to have an older sibling having such an important event happen soon, only to not be able to be there.

"Does your sister know? That you're a demigod, I mean." I wondered out loud.

"Yeah, she does." Dean smiled. "She always used to complain that Dad liked me better, because I was the demigod, but then when I got my first attack she soon stopped. Her mum died giving birth to her, and so she's only had Dad all her life. Bit like me, then." Dean said the last bit quite bitterly, and I knew how he felt.

Nobody spoke, while I mused over what Dean had just told me. Mr Crown must have had, well…a hard life. His first wife/girlfriend died giving birth to his daughter, then Demeter came along and left him just as quickly, and with a son. He had brought up two children, all by himself, whilst also having to work.

With a jolt, I realised that my mum had gone through a very similar thing, only having met Zeus first. Then Peter left her and so she had to bring up two children alone… just like Dean's dad.

I thought to Mr Moretti, who also lived a sad life. Aphrodite left him with a daughter when he was only just beginning to look after himself. Their flat was nice, but I always imagined that Mr Moretti wanted to get a house for him and Sofia. That never happened. They had money, but that usually went quite quick.

Then there was the story of Helia's mum, and _that _story didn't need to be said again. It was by far the most tragic story of all.

Everybody focused so much on the demigod that nobody really thought about how much pain the mortal parent must go through. We weren't the easiest of children. Dean told me and Sofia once that he, too, had been expelled a few times. Not as much as we had been, as his primary school was an 'open, accepting establishment', but they finally got rid of him in year five. He got expelled in year eight at his first secondary school.

While Alfie's dad seemed to have been the exception when it came to the hard life, I wondered whether there was more to it. Alfie hadn't told me anything, other than what he said on the train… and I'd had first-hand experience of Alfie's stubborn way of seeing what he wanted to see.

It was these thoughts I slowly managed to drift off to sleep with. My dreams were unpleasant, with a montage of all the monsters I'd seen that day. The Fury on Slades Hill, the perverts at Paddington (who I definitely counted as monsters), the sphinx at the station and of course the terror at Tesco.

Just as the fire in my dream was about to burn me alive, I woke up gasping and sat up. I calmed down as I looked around me. Dean, Sofia, Alfie and Lucas were all fast asleep - Lucas snoring loudly - while Helia was illuminated by a ball of light she was producing in her hands. The light flickered and went out, causing Helia to grimace, and then she turned and saw me sitting up.

"Scarlet!" She exclaimed.

I shushed at her, indicating how the others were asleep. She shrugged, then continued to try and make the ball of light reappear.

"It doesn't work as well at night." She whispered to me. I got up and carefully treaded over Sofia, and tip toed to sit closer to Helia. She continued to explain when I sat down. "The light I produce is from the sun, and so I can only do it during the day. It will even work if it's raining, as the sun is still up. At night… the moon is out. It's Artemis' time."

"You're still kind of managing." I responded. She sighed.

"Yeah, this light isn't from the sun. It's my own power, but it's weak."

I nodded, impressed. She turned to me, and seemed to struggle to say something.

"Um, it didn't wake you, did I?"

"Nah."

"Oh, good."

We didn't speak for a bit, and I had no intention of going back to sleep… not with the nightmare I very recently had. I then remembered how Sofia was supposed to be guarding.

"When did you take over from Sofia?"

"Not very long ago. I woke up, and Sofia was looking exhausted, and I thought I had enough sleep so decided to take over from her.

"Ah right. I can take over from you now, if you want?"

I didn't know what Helia was going to say, as there was a sinister sound in the forest nearby. We both jumped out of our skin, and instantly rose to our feet. I clicked my fingers for Brontes, and Helia picked up her bow. She managed to salvage an arrow from Alfie (basically she went through his bag when he was with Sofia and I at Tesco) and he seemed to remember to bring spares.

"Should we go in?" She asked me.

"Of course… but then, that would leave these lot unguarded…"

"Alfie will handle it. Let's go!"

After the day I'd had - including nearly getting burned alive - I probably should have had a rest. I hadn't even changed out of my burnt top yet. But I felt a compulsion to head into the forest and vaporise any monster within the vicinity.

As we reached the edge of the forest, we both stopped in sync. We looked at each other one last time, as if seeing if the other person would change their mind. When it became apparent we wouldn't, we marched in. The forest was darker than I thought it would be, and I saw Helia shiver.

"You can go back, if you want."

"No. It's fine. You need me to defeat whatever monster this is."

I frowned at her. "What makes you think that…"

_Meow. _I stopped in my tracks, and looked down. A large, grey cat was in our path, and I realised then that the noise we heard was this cat. Perhaps I was feeling hysterical but I burst out laughing. Helia joined in. We were becoming so used to attacks that we assumed every noise we heard was a monster.

I approached the cat and reached my hand out. It looked at me, alarmed, before it realised I was no threat. It put his head against my hand, and I couldn't help but gag. It stunk, although it was slightly preferable to the smell of human meat in the Tesco stockroom. I also figured that Helia and I weren't smelling particularly spectacular.

"This is definitely Smelly Cat." I commented. I was making a Friends reference, but of course Helia wouldn't know that, so the joke was lost.

"No monster then." She sighed.

"Just Horatio." I said decidedly. I'd taken a liking to the cat. I had one when I was very young, and my mum had called her Atalanta, after a female hero in Ancient Greek times. Mum bought her as I didn't want to start reception, and I remembered being sent home one day because I was screaming with fear about the teacher. Mum only had time to pick me up and take me home, where the babysitter was looking after Harry. So Atalanta was a source of comfort to me; back when I was four years old and in an emotional state.

I stroked Horatio, while Helia stared at me.

"You named the cat Horatio?" She started to laugh. "You don't even know if it's a boy or girl."

"You can check for me, if you want?" I raised an eyebrow, and Helia backed away with her hands up in defence.

"No thanks. Get one of the others to do that."

I picked up Horatio, who seemed to be comforted by some affection… he must not have had much lately. Helia and I walked back to the others. Everyone was still asleep - only Sofia seemed to have rolled over to Dean, who had an arm around her. Helia and I sat down a little bit away from the others, so we could talk properly without waking them up. I set Horatio on my lap, which caused Helia to screw her nose up.

"Scarley, he doesn't half stink."

"So?" I challenged, and she shut up.

"Alazoneia." Helia said after a while.

"What?"

"It's my fatal flaw. I, um yeah."

"What _is _that, Helia?"

"Well, a fatal flaw is a character trait in a hero that can lead to their…well, their death. And mine is Alazoneia. I … I _can_ sometimes put myself before others. Sometimes I act superior to others, apparently. And that is my fatal flaw. I have to try and control it, otherwise it'll kill me."

I would have liked to have said to Helia that she was being silly and that she wasn't arrogant, but the truth was…she was right. Still lovely, still bright, but slightly sure of herself.

"I think," She continued, "it's because of how long I've been at camp… and it's also a common fatal flaw for a child of Apollo. I became head counsellor at eight. I was always treated like I was the most experienced camp member. That's enough to inflate anyone's ego."

She showed me the necklace she was wearing, and I realised that her and Alfie both had them. They were leather, with painted clay beads on them.

"Eleven beads." She smiled. "More than anyone at camp. They give you one for every year you're at camp, and paint it with the most important event of the year. So that's that. That's why I can act… yeah."

I looked at Helia, and how she was still trying her best to produce the ball of light. Suddenly, the light became stronger and it nearly exploded right in front of us, but Helia managed to stop it.

"Don't you ever get annoyed that Apollo has never tried to contact you or anything?" I asked her. She thought about this.

"Nope." She smiled brightly. "He has sixteen children. That's a lot. I can't expect him to, really."

"But he's your father." I grumbled.

"Does it annoy you that you've never met Zeus?" She turned the tables on me now, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Yes. Of course it does, he's a massive prat."

"That's just the way of the gods, really. I would know." She sighed.

"But Alfie's met Athena. It isn't completely out of the question." I protested.

"It depends on circumstance. Dean and Sofia haven't met their parents either. It's the norm."

"It's pathetic." I spat out, and scratched Horatio behind the ear. Helia didn't answer me, and I noticed she was beginning to look sleepy. "Go to sleep."

Helia sighed, nodded, and lay down. I was instantly bored, having nobody to talk to, so I took Horatio off my lap - which he protested to - and travelled over to my rucksack, where I took my iPod out and put on my favourite song. 'Everlong' by the Foo Fighters. I liked it as the Foo Fighters were the only group I liked that my mum also liked, and we both knew the lyrics.

I began to feel a bit homesick. I mean… home wasn't exactly fun; I always rowed with Mum and Harry, I got booted from school to school, and was made to feel stupid all the time. But I missed the comfort slightly. I missed the kitchen, and the food, and the TV and how Sofia would come round and we would muck about. Even Harry wasn't too bad sometimes; mainly when we were against each other on Mario Kart and I would actually beat him at something for once.

They were good memories, but they were the past. This was my life now, and that was fine. As shuffle put on 'Ask' by The Smiths, I started to think about the next part of the quest and what would happen. But far more importantly, I thought about the prophecy I received.

Not gaining what I set out to achieve didn't sound too good to me. And being granted a reason to grieve? That strongly suggested somebody would die. Somebody dying didn't sound too good either.

Just like the night before at camp - which seemed so long ago - I looked around me and worried about who it would be that died. I thought about what Helia said, about fatal flaws, and whether one of my friends would die because of theirs. I wondered if _I _would die because of mine… whatever it was.

Either way, I wasn't sitting under the starry, dark sky in peace.


	14. Chapter Fourteen - A Weirdo on the Bus

"Scarlet, wake up!" Lucas shouted at me and I felt a hoof kick me in the side. Instinctively, I sent a shoot of electricity at him, and he yelped. I opened my eyes, and the clouds were grey. Typical English summertime. But I could only count my blessings that it wasn't raining. As much as I liked it, I had a feeling it would slow the quest.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I had swapped with Alfie just before dawn, which gave me a few more hours of sleep before day two of the quest.

"I'd rather you didn't do that, Scarlet." Lucas referred to the shoot of electricity I sent his way, while breaking open a packet of cookies and putting about five in his mouth at a time.

"Steady on with that, goat boy." I warned. "We need this food to last."

"It isn't like you paid for it." He winked at me. I groaned.

"Ugh, yeah, I lost my savings."

"Aw, that does suck." Dean agreed. The rest of us began to go through the shopping in search of some breakfast. Dean picked at the grapes, while Sofia ate one of the prawn salads. Helia stuck to eating a couple of doughnuts, which annoyed me as there were six there - one for each of us. Alfie merely drank some Coca Cola, thinking. I decided to throw a loaf of bread at him, whilst I opened a packet of chicken for myself.

"Eat something." I told him. "And Helia, don't eat a third doughnut, they're supposed to be for everyone."

Helia grimaced but happily put the third doughnut back, while Alfie glared at me. He did open up the bread, although something did concern me.

"Alfie, your burn's gone green."

His hand flew to his cheek, and he instantly winced. Lucas - who knew about this kind of thing - went through his bag and got out a flask of nectar. He proceeded over to Alfie and trickled a little on the burn. Alfie cursed wildly, while Lucas got out his reed pipes and began to play them, standing next to a sat down Alfie.

"I get the feeling this is a bit like those documentaries on supernatural medicine where the tribes begin to play their music and dance around the patient." Dean grinned.

"Prehistoric Medicine Man, is Lucas." Alfie half grinned, but then grimaced as he felt a surge of pain in his burn. Lucas stopped playing.

"That was just a minor bit of woodland magic." Lucas informed us. "It got rid of any infection. The nectar should start closing the wound."

"Cheers, mate." Alfie said to him. "I was starting to feel a bit ill, actually."

We ate in silence, and the food went quicker than I wanted it to. Despite my protests, we _were _left with one doughnut (as Sofia and Lucas didn't want one) so Helia ate it, leaving none. We were also left with half a packet of cookies, some chicken (as I seemed to be the only one not determined to finish all the food, and actually left the rest of the chicken I was eating), the untouched cheese, some bread and a _lot _of drinks.

I decided that - now we had hardly any food left, which really ruined my morning as I _told _them that we needed to save it – we needed to split up the remaining food and all carry something in our backpacks. We had twelve drink cans left, so we carried two each. I carried the cookies - so I knew they wouldn't be eaten - and I gave Alfie the bread. Lucas had the chicken, as he was a vegetarian so wouldn't eat it, and Dean had the cheese. We then had the problem of where we were going to go.

"Well, looking at this map," Alfie told us, "we need to head north-west."

"How long do you reckon it'll take us?" Dean asked.

"Um… well, being as Heale is right at the other end of Exmoor, far west… and Exmoor is massive… a very long time."

"How long exactly?" I frowned.

"I don't know!" Alfie sounded frustrated. "I can't even estimate, but it's going to take forever."

_Meow. _Helia and I grinned as Horatio came up to me again.

"Hey, Horatio." I said to the cat.

"He says he likes that name." Lucas said to me. I stared at him.

"Did you just say…"

"Satyrs can talk to animals." Alfie said, before getting out a slice of bread and shoving it in his mouth. I looked at him angrily.

"I just asked Horatio how we can get to Heale!" Lucas exclaimed, to prevent an argument.

"You asked the cat?" Dean asked sceptically.

"He's homeless; he knows the area well. He said there should be a bus at Taunton Station that takes us to Minehead, which is the closest we can get. One leaves every half an hour and we should get the number 28."

"I can't believe I'm listening to a cat…"

"But then," Helia had just swallowed the last of her doughnut, "how do we get from Minehead to Heale?" She grabbed the map out of Alfie's hand. "We'll have to get from the east of Exmoor, all the way to the west."

"It's better than walking it from here." Alfie argued.

"How much would it cost?" I asked cautiously. I had exactly 0p to my name.

Lucas made a strange, cat like noise to Horatio, who responded to him, which was one of the strangest things I'd ever seen.

"He said it costs two pounds ninety. We all have five pounds, so it should be fine."

"Except me." I glared.

"It's cool!" Helia assured me. "If we pool our money together, that's twenty five pounds, and that… um, Alfie, will that work?"

Alfie did some mental arithmetic at incredible speed. I wouldn't have even known how.

"Two pounds ninety times six is seventeen pounds forty. That will work, with money left over. Then I suggest we share out the remaining total - which will be seven pounds sixty – giving us roughly one pound thirty."

"That's optimistic." I said sarcastically. Less than two pounds each? Bearing in mind we were only a day into the quest… that was worrying. "Well, let's get ready to start day two."

"Scarlet," Sofia spoke up for the first time. "Me, you and Alfie are going to be searched for by the police. We need to be careful."

"Shit. Yeah." I grimaced.

"Firstly, we should get changed." Sofia decided. "Your top is burned, anyway."

Sofia and I gathered our bags and went into the forest, while Alfie had no qualms about getting changed on the spot, although I heard in the distance that Helia had been forced to look away by Lucas. I very much doubted she would have looked anyway.

I kept the shorts I'd been wearing on, but took my now ruined camp T-shirt off and replaced it with the grey top Mum put in my bag at home. Along with the black skirt, that was all I brought with me on the quest. To be fair - other than the navy top I wore to camp, a spare camp T-shirt and pair of jeans - I had no other clothes since leaving Enfield. I did quite like the grey top, despite the bland colour. It was a thin material and came down to my elbows, with a v neck cut.

Sofia got completely changed out of her shorts and camp T-shirt, and instead wore grey tracksuit shorts and a dark pink vest top. It looked like it would rain, but the weather was humid as it was late July, so I decided against wearing a jacket. The two of us made our way back.

"How are you, after yesterday?" I asked her.

"I'm fine, now, I think." She said. Other than that she said nothing, and we reached it back. Alfie had purely changed out of his camp top and into a green polo shirt. The boys didn't bring a change of jeans at all.

"But now we have to change appearance." Sofia announced. Alfie and I stared at her. "Oh, not dramatically. I haven't got the power for that. But I can make the odd, temporary changes, which should hopefully stop us from getting recognised."

And Sofia wasn't wrong. She started with Alfie, by firstly bringing out a red tint in his hair that I didn't even realise he had until Sofia exaggerated it, so he had dark bronze coloured hair, which was very different to his normal hair – dark with a red tint. Sofia said she couldn't change eye colour, so his stormy eyes were the same, but she reduced his very thick eyebrows, shortened his hair so it was less unruly and more clipped, then increased his brawn…so he was no longer a skinny runt. She also took away the deep tan he had acquired over his five years at camp. He wasn't particularly pale; just looked like a normal half British, half Greek boy, although he had a few freckles on his face. Overall, he looked different. _We_ could recognise him as we knew him, but you wouldn't at first glance.

Then she turned to me, and I must admit I was a bit nervous about what she'd do and it unnerved me how people were staring. Sofia smiled once she was done, and gave me a mirror, which I nearly dropped it.

My hair had stayed light brown, but while it was normally wavy - and had knotted over the course of the quest - it was slick straight, and longer than normal. She'd gone to efforts to sort my eyebrows out (which she'd been threatening to do for two years) and taken away my new tan as well, so I was back to being pale. She'd caused me to put on some weight, as she thought that my thinness would have been how the mortals described me from outside Tesco. She tried to put my hair in a plait, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

"Why?" I groaned.

"I'm going to make you look girly. You didn't look that yesterday, and so it would highlight the difference."

In the end, I won, and my hair stayed loose. The next main change was how she thinned my lips, and… well, she made my boobs bigger, which was observed by Lucas. I soon had him in a headlock until he couldn't breathe.

Then she moved onto herself, making her hair curly, and her already olive skin much darker, so she looked more Asian. She did the opposite to herself by making her curves decrease, before she put her hair up in a ponytail. The three of us looked fairly different, and so it was time to head into town.

* * *

"There was absolutely no point in us setting up camp." Alfie, once again, protested, and I, once again, had to force myself not to hit him.

"It doesn't matter, we had to sleep somewhere." Helia responded for me. Dean told us that the time was half past one, and my day went from bad to worse. It was already afternoon? I mean, I'd already figured out that it took a staggeringly long time for us to walk to and from our spot in the field, but I still felt that we should have spent less time wasting our food, and more time getting ready to leave.

The number 28 bus arrived, and it turned out that Horatio was basing the price on adult tickets and so we were able to buy cheaper child ones. Small comfort, I supposed.

Horatio couldn't come with us. Once I announced to the group I was bringing him, everyone other than Sofia instantly disagreed, saying it would make things more difficult. Despite me being the leader of this quest, I had to listen to the majority, and I reluctantly left Horatio behind. Only Sofia knew this, so I imagine she understood why I wanted to bring the cat, but Atalanta ran away, and so I really didn't want to leave my new cat.

Alfie and I fought to get on the bus first, childish I know, but that's what happened. I won the fight, and gave the money in for six child tickets to Maidenhead. Alfie, who begrudgingly walked in after me, asked the driver how long the journey would be. We were informed that it was just over an hour.

"Good, I can get some sleep." Dean announced. "I was kept up all night by Sofia."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"You were snoring."

"She wasn't, actually." I turned on him. "I was up for most the night."

"I was kidding." Dean grinned. Lucas burst out laughing, and Helia, Alfie and I begrudgingly smiled, but Sofia didn't find it funny. She had been quiet the whole walk down, and I could tell that Sofia was becoming more determined to win a fight. She gripped her knife fiercely and her eyes were almost black. She rolled her eyes whenever anyone made a joke, and was on the lookout for monsters at all times. This change in personality - along with the change in appearance she'd given herself, on top of her lack of make-up - was alarming to me.

We settled down in our seats. Alfie was next to Helia, Dean next to Lucas and I parked myself cautiously next to a scowling Sofia. Once seated, we began to discuss what we were going to do once we arrived.

"It completely depends on what time we arrive and how long it takes to get to Heale."

"From what I can tell from the map, it's going to take a while." Alfie sighed. "We're best of asking the driver in a bit."

"Because you don't know." I rubbed it in his face a little. He decided to ignore it.

"You do not come from here, do you?" An unfamiliar voice asked us. We all turned and saw on the other side of the bus - sitting by the aisle - a girl, who…well… looked and sounded very odd.

She wore a white tunic, which came down to her knees. Her skin was deathly white - like a corpse - and she had purple shadows under her eyes. We couldn't actually see the colour of her eyes, as black frizzy hair fell down over them. I didn't remember her coming on the bus, or seeing her sitting there as I sat down.

"Um, no." I retorted shortly.

"I can tell." She answered, looking thoughtfully at us. "You look as though you've been travelling for days." I hoped we didn't, as it had actually only been a couple of days of travelling.

"What are you implying?" Sofia turned to the girl, her eyes narrowed.

"Nothing. You all look wonderful."

"Thanks." Lucas pretended to flick his hair, but his hat fell off. Dean quickly picked it up and shoved it back on before anyone could notice that Lucas had horns.

"You remind me of someone." The girl now said to Helia.

"Oh, really?" Helia asked her, trying not to laugh. But then she didn't have to try, for the smirk was wiped right off her face. The girl lurched backwards, as though the seat was pulling her magnetically towards it. Then she turned back to us, and her hair was pulled away from her face - her eyes buzzing green.

The six of us all reacted the same way. We leaned backwards, not sure how to react to this, but wanting to put more distance between us and her. She then leaped up and, naturally, I happened to be the closest to her.

"_Death." _She hissed, looking at me in the eyes. I had to look away; her eyes almost blinded me. She grabbed my throat in one hand. "_Death will come." _

I desperately tried to claw her hand from my throat, but she was strong and so desperate to tell me about this imminent death. Alfie and Lucas, who were sitting by the aisles, were able to jump up and try and prize her away from me. The bus shuddered to a stop, and the bus driver could be heard.

"Young lady causing trouble at the back, could you please get off the bus?"

The girl froze, and the light in her eyes faded. She looked around, and despite this being an obvious display from something in the Olympian world, I'm sure the mortals didn't need the Mist clouding the scene. They too, saw a crazy girl attacking us. Wide eyed, she ran out the bus as fast as lightning. None of us spoke until the bus started up again.

"What… what was that?" Dean gasped. "Sofia, are you okay?"

"Of course I am, Dean." She snapped back.

"I'm only asking!" Dean irritably responded. "Stop being such a moody cow to everyone who cares about you. You're not being you and it's pissing me off now."

Sofia was highly affronted and looked down, unable to respond. Dean stared miserably out the window.

"So…" Helia broke into the silence awkwardly.

"I think you guys should hear about this line in the prophecy." I sighed, and informed them of the final line.

"And you shall be granted a reason to grieve…" Alfie muttered.

"After the outburst from that nutcase, it's pretty conclusive what's going to happen." I ominously commented.

"Someone's going to die on the quest." Helia was looking around at us, as if trying to find out who it will be.

"It's going to be me." Sofia muttered. And despite our - excluding Dean's - protests, she stubbornly ignored us.

* * *

_**- Thank you for reading halfway through! I hope you're enjoying it! I came up with the idea for Scarlet when I was twelve, and she has had many names, including Zenaida, Samia, Amelia and I finally settled on Scarlet. I've done a lot of editing on this but there are probably some mistakes, particularly structural ones, so I apologise for this. I don't really know what else to say here, other than thank you a lot, and feel free to review - I'm open to constructive criticism (as long as it's nicely worded :L) and would love to hear feedback. :) - **  
_


	15. Chapter Fifteen - The Eight Hour Hike

Once we arrived in Minehead, I asked the driver how long it would take to walk to Heale. As soon as he stopped laughing, he told us it would take about eight and a half hours. Right. Longer than the average school day, and giving us a predicted arrival time of half past eleven at night. We thanked him, before he asked the dreaded question.

"Young girl," he called me back. I turned. "I recognise you. Something about your eyes… do you shop at Tesco?"

"N-no, why?"

"Saw some kids there, but… Nah. You don't look like her. Sorry." He smiled, and then drove off. Sofia and I looked at each other and I stroked my still straight hair.

"If it weren't for your powers of appearance, we'd be screwed, Sofia."

"That's all the dumb Aphrodite kid can do, right?" She said bitterly. Before I could tell her to pull herself together, Helia asked the saving question.

"So what's the plan?"

"I don't think we can walk the full eight hours." I answered her, while at the same time trying to figure out what to do about Sofia. "So we walk for about four, four and a half hours, so we can settle for the night. Then we can do the rest of the journey tomorrow… and then head into the Garden of the Hesperides."

Everybody muttered agreement. Nobody had really acknowledged that we were actually going to have to confront Ladon and the Hesperides, but it was becoming all apparent as we got ever closer.

So the hike began. Alfie - with the map - managed to get us out of the town of Minehead, and Helia and I managed to stop Lucas from bolting to Butlins. Alfie informed us that as long as we were on the left of the A59, we'd be fine. And so that was that. Dean, Lucas and Helia were discussing about what could be happening at camp, and I took the opportunity to talk some sense into Sofia.

"Sofe…" I started, but she interrupted.

"I know what you're going to say." She sighed.

"Talk to him."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because… because… just not yet." And with that, Sofia left me, her knife in hand again. My eyebrows pulled together in concern at her. Being as there was nothing I could do at that present moment, I decided to speak to Alfie about how we're doing.

"How far have we walked?"

"Not very." He pointed to me where we were on the map and I sighed in dismay. "I was thinking that we should cross the A59 when we set up camp and get close to the sea. We need to wash."

Instant panic engulfed me, and I felt slightly dizzy. There was no way that I could go in the Bristol Channel, and if I said no, he'd think I was odd. I took a deep breath and came up with a suitable response.

"It depends how tired we are when we've done our four hour walk." I said to him. There seemed to be enough logic there for Owl Face because he nodded and continued to scan the map.

A few miles on, we came across a peculiar sight. There was a fruit stand, and sitting in front of it – knitting - were three identical old women. This instantly made me recoil… three old ladies would never bode well with me again. The yarn they were using was incredibly thick, and it was a sight that caused Lucas, Helia and Alfie to gasp.

"What?" I demanded.

"The… The Fates." Lucas gulped.

The Fates. Oh, great. The beings older than any god or Titan who determine the life of any hero, and decide their fate. That's what we needed.

They stared at us, and then one of them lifted up some scissors.

"No!" Helia protested. But it was too late. They snipped the yarn, and then vanished of the face of the earth.

Lucas was evidently trying not to cry, whilst Helia, Alfie, Dean and I were looking gobsmacked at each other. Sofia had her head tilted to the side, uncertain.

"What does that mean?"

"Cutting of the yarn?" Alfie responded. "That's the yarn of life. It's just been cut. One of us will die. If only we knew who they were looking at! It looked as though they were looking at us all, but it was only one yarn. One life."

"Mine." Sofia commented.

"No, Sofia." I snapped. "It's probably not. We don't know, but we all have an equal chance, okay? Let's try and forget about them and get a move on."

With that, I surged forwards. I was quest leader, so I had to not show my pessimism, but it was hard. I knew from the moment I got my prophecy that somebody would die, but it had stared me in the face twice in one day, and I wasn't happy about it. I wasn't happy at all.

I would have died before I let anything happen to my friends. But, would I get a choice? One of us was going to die inevitably, and that's what I hated. I could do nothing about it. Say, for arguments sake, it was Alfie. I couldn't sacrifice myself to save him. It wouldn't matter, as the Fates had already willed the string to be cut. And I was sure it would happen battling Ladon.

* * *

After two hours of walking, we found ourselves near a place called Porlock Cricket Club, and Dean announced that he needed a rest. Sofia rolled her eyes at this, as if his fatigue was pathetic, and, even though I was inclined to agree with her, I thought that it was best we sat down for a bit, as rain began to hammer hard down on us.

I parked myself next to Dean, and was about to tell him to speak to Sofia, when a cricket ball flew straight us and hit Helia straight in the face. She fell backwards, unconscious, and Alfie instantly rose to his feet.

"Oi!" He shouted. As Lucas, Sofia and Dean rushed over to Helia, I turned around, and saw ten giant cricketers come out, standing in a line towards us. Dean cursed loudly.

"They're the same as the monster who fought me on Half-Blood Hill." He cried.

"Laistrygonians?" I asked, remembering. I looked back, and there they were. Giant cannibals holding flaming cricket balls. We all armed ourselves, but Helia - although conscious now - was concussed, and so we had one less fighter.

There was no way we could run, even if we _didn't_ carry an injured Helia. So we were going to have to fight_. _Lucas needed to stay with Helia, which reduced our odds even further…four against ten.

Sofia, Alfie, Dean and I ran forwards, weapons outstretched, and I had to roll to avoid an incoming ball of fire. I crawled forwards, deciding I should stay as low as possible to increase the size difference, and swiped the ankle of one of the giants. It instantly disintegrated. That still left nine, but they were onto my trick now, and were throwing the fireballs directly beneath them.

It appeared that Sofia had given up on Charmspeak, but was using the opportunity to 'prove herself'. However I watched in horror at how her technique seemed to be all wrong. She went straight in for the attack, but the giant she was approaching grabbed her. I ran over and pulled Sofia out of its grip and - having given it a distraction - Dean stabbed it, and it exploded into dust.

I looked around, and saw Alfie beginning to fight quite a crowd. He had five on his tail, while three were approaching us. I had to help him.

Just as one of the Laistrygonians shouted out "Demigod lunch!" highly unintelligently, I sent a shoot of electricity in the general direction of all the giants fighting Alfie, as each and every one of them rose a fiery cricket ball. Alfie looked up determinedly, but I knew he was scared. The shoot of electricity met the – now flying through the air – fiery cricket balls.

"Run!" I shouted at the – then not looking too intelligent - Son of Athena, as a massive explosion took place. The five Laistrygonians were thrown backwards, and although they were immune to fire, it would be a while until they made it back to us. Alfie and I both realised that we needed to help Dean and Sofia, who seemed to be struggling.

There were more of us than them, so while Sofia and Dean took on one each, Alfie and I had the advantage of taking on the other. Alfie feigned an attack, so the monster's attention was on him, and I stabbed.

I winced as I saw Dean avoid a fire ball; it was a dangerously close call. He then - after a moment of thought - shoved his hand towards the grass. The grass began to grow around the Laistrygonian at an alarming rate, right up to its waist, trapping its arms down, and Dean swiped. I never knew he had this agricultural power, but I was glad he did.

Sofia wasn't making any progress, but thankfully neither was the Laistrygonian. She was - with incredible agility - able to dodge the fireballs being sent her way, but I wasn't sure this would last long. I ran in to help, and decided on a whim to click my fingers for Astrapes. As a fireball came my way, I held it up, but instead of deflecting the fireball, it just caused the bronze to melt. I dropped it instantly, and groaned at my bad fortune. The Laistrygonian had its full attention on Sofia and I, so didn't notice Dean and Alfie approach on either side of it, and they both stabbed. It disintegrated.

We had a moment to catch our breath before the five that had been forced away made it back, their faces full of rage and both of their hands holding a ball.

"You kill our brothers!" He roared at us.

"We will you." Another then threatened.

"How thick can you get?" I questioned, astonished, but was pulled out of the way by Dean to avoid a fire ball. Alfie and Dean instantly began a one on one fight with one of the Laistrygonians each, but I knew if Sofia and I did the same, there would still be another one free to kill us.

Then, out of nowhere, an arrow flew and hit one straight in the forehead, causing it to vaporise. Normally the archer who I knew shot that would aim for the chest, but she was evidently still concussed. I turned - amazed that Helia could shoot at such a long distance, even with concussion, but I knew that we were fully out of arrows now. Helia collapsed back to the ground, just as one of the Laistrygonians proceeded towards her. Angrily, I stuck my sword on the ground for it to tread on and then - once it began hopping on the spot and howling in pain, which caused the ground to shake - I stabbed it in the chest. Just as I did that, Alfie successfully slashed his one, leaving two more. Sofia looked so close to stabbing one of them, but then it knocked her to the ground, and she was winded. The Laistrygonian raised a fireball and was about to throw it down at her, while she clutched her stomach and looked up fearfully.

Dean completely abandoned the Laistrygonian he was fighting and stabbed the one about to kill Sofia right in the back. The evil smile across his face completely vanished as he disintegrated into dust. I then took the opportunity to fight the one Dean left.

I decided to take advantage of my height again and jump on the giant. I did, however, forget that Sofia plumped me up in an attempt to disguise me, and so it was a lot harder to get a spring. I managed it, put it in a headlock with one arm, and used my sword arm to stab it. As it disintegrated, I fell to the floor in a crouch, then raised.

We were safe… just about. Dean was giving Sofia a hand up, and despite it looking against her better judgement, she took it. They looked at each other for a moment, before Sofia turned with a flick of her hair - proper diva like - and stormed back to Helia and Lucas; slightly hunched over, and still winded. Dean looked baffled and followed suit. Alfie and I got our breaths back before we rushed off after them.

"Oh my gods!" Lucas exclaimed as we got back. "I thought you were going to die!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Lucas." I grumbled. "How's Helia?"

I didn't really need to be told; she was lying on the ground with her forehead against the floor.

"She didn't think she could stomach ambrosia, so I gave her some nectar. She started getting better, but then suddenly decided to help you guys, and that drained her."

"Then shouldn't we give her some more nectar?"

"I don't want to risk it, Scarlet. I gave her quite a lot."

"That was some good archery, Helia." Alfie told her.

"Alfie's right." I said. "I think we'd be goners if it weren't for you."

Whilst staying still, she gave us a thumbs up, which I smirked at. I sank down - exhausted myself - and Alfie did the same. Dean and Sofia remained the only ones standing and they were arguing again.

"I'm fine, Dean!" Sofia was snapping.

"You were winded!" He protested. "At least sit down."

"I have not been winded!" She shrieked, and I could have sworn some blackbirds from nearby trees flew away at the noise.

"Just eat some ambrosia." Dean rummaged through his rucksack and handed her a square. "Please. Then I'll, very happily, fuck off and leave you alone to act like a cow."

Sofia considered him for a moment, then took the ambrosia from him and ate it, before sitting down next to Helia. Dean shook his head incredulously before joining us.

"Can't you do some woodland magic?" He asked Lucas. Lucas shook his head sadly.

"I can only do that for external wounds. Not concussion."

"Then how are we going to carry on?"

Suddenly, I had an idea. I concentrated on the air bending, but not around me. I focused it on Helia. She slowly began to rise from the ground and I moved my outstretched arm to the left. She, too, moved to the left.

"As long as I'm concentrating," I informed the others, "I should be able to move her. So no arguing."

And we began to walk away - me steering Helia - who was now fast asleep. Dean and Sofia walked on completely different sides to each other, and Alfie and Lucas began to examine the map. Steering Helia was draining my energy, but I carried on, as the rain continued to pour down.


	16. Chapter Sixteen - Night Before Deathmas

Not a creature was stirring, not even Lucas, who was like a hyperactive five year old. At half past seven, we decided to set up camp in a place called Dryslade Wood. There were lakes, and we were near to both the Oare Water and Chalk Water, according to Alfie.

I set Helia down and she continued to sleep, and then I frowned.

"I heard once that concussed people weren't supposed to sleep?"

"Don't worry," Alfie replied, "the nectar in her system should stop her slipping into a coma."

"Small comfort." I scoffed. I sat down and played with my hair; still slightly fascinated by the straightness of it. I looked at Alfie and saw that he still had highly reddened hair, and Sofia's was still madly curly.

"Sofia, how long will this last for?"

"Twelve hours." She responded quietly. She then went to say something, but stopped herself.

"Yeah, Sofia?" I urged her on.

"Could you practice sword fighting with me?" She asked. This got Dean, Lucas and Alfie's attention. They looked around at me, and, despite how different the three of them could be, each of their faces said the same thing. 'Please say yes'.

"Um… sure." I agreed, although reluctantly. I jumped to my feet, and she did the same whilst holding her knife. I gripped onto Brontes and rapidly tried to decide how I was going to go about this.

I didn't want to actually hurt Sofia, so I started off by swiping the air in an arc. Sofia then blocked the swipe with her knife and stepped in closer, and our weapons pushed against each other. I could have exerted more pressure, causing her knife to flip out of her hand. I could also have stepped back quickly swiped at her top.

But I didn't. Instead, what I did was _decrease _the amount of pressure I was exerting on my sword, as she put in more. She wouldn't have been able to use the disarming technique she was trying to use on me, due to the weapon she was using. With a knife, you had to get right to the bottom of the sword you were trying to disarm, whilst she was only at the tip of mine.

Despite this, and in an attempt to try and boost her confidence, I let my sword fall to the ground. I cursed, as I usually did when I lost. I looked over at the boys, who were watching avidly and were very amused. Sofia didn't look happy.

"I've seen you fight better than that!" She protested. "Why are you going easy on me?"

"I'm not." I lied.

"Yes you are, Scarlet! Gods, you can be so patronising sometimes." That did it.

"You know what, _fine._" I picked up my sword and brandished it in her direction. I told myself that this wasn't Sofia I was fighting, as, in a way, it wasn't. We both pointed our spears at each other.

"What's happening?" Said a dazed sounding Helia. I glanced over and she was sitting up.

"Lightning Girl versus Glamour Model, come quick!" Lucas cried. I half expected him to get out a bag of popcorn.

The fight, however, was quick. I feinted to her left, and she went to block it when I swerved quickly to her right, my sword tip right by her heart. Normally, if she had been an opponent, I would have stabbed – Sofia wasn't a good swordfighter, which I was able to say now that I was angry at her. She desperately tried to stab at me, so we were both pointing our weapons at each other, but, remembering my technique of cutting my opponent's hand, swung down for Sofia's. I would never actually cut her, but she dropped her knife in surprise. I kicked it away and aimed by sword back at her heart. She glared at me a moment, then stormed to collect her knife, and I sat back down with the others.

"Nice fight." Helia commented lazily. "Bit boring, though."

"I didn't want to actually maim her. Regret that now."

Sofia returned, and I announced that we ought to try and get an earlier night, so we could wake up earlier tomorrow.

"We have to enter the Garden of the Hesperides at sunset," Alfie informed us. "The Hesperides are the nymphs of the sunset."

"So what I think we should do," I decided, "is leave in the morning, then we should arrive afternoon time. Then we can have a rest… before…" I didn't need to say it.

"All my arrows are gone. And Alfie's." Helia complained. "I'm not going to be able to fight without them."

"Can't Lucas… I don't know, magic some up?" Dean asked.

"No." Lucas sighed.

"Helia, try praying to your dad." Alfie suggested. There was a deep silence at this. Helia cocked her head to the side, considering it.

"Maybe…"

"He might take pity on you, you were knocked unconscious earlier." Dean pointed out.

Helia shrugged, and closed her eyes.

"Hi, um, Lord Apollo." _'Lord Apollo' _I mouthed at the others, flabbergasted as to how someone could call their own father 'lord'. "I was wondering if I could, well… have some arrows? Thank you."

Helia then opened her eyes, and we waited. Nothing happened. We looked at Helia, all slightly pityingly.

"It doesn't matter," She told us. "But where can I get some?"

The truth was, none of us had any idea. It was highly disconcerting; the prospect of having Helia being unable to fight the next day didn't fill me with hope. Instead we decided to get the remainder of the food out and finish it off. Sofia announced she was going down to the lake to have a wash, which was fine by me. In fact, I was relieved. She was doing my nut in, but that didn't negate my anxiety for her, and so while Alfie, Helia and Dean were looking at the map (at where we had to go) I took the opportunity to speak to Lucas.

"In all the time I've known her, "I started, "she has never acted like this before."

"I know." Lucas frowned. "Must be her time of the month."

Lucas knew how I'd react and I punched him in the arm. He laughed.

"I'm being serious here, Lucas." I protested.

"You're always serious." He stated. "But you're right. I've been telling Dean to speak to her but he won't."

"And I was telling Sofia to speak to him, but something's stopping her."

"I think we should leave them to it. It's their relationship, right? Even though they're our best friends, we should leave them be."

"Oh, so Dean's your best friend now, is he?"

"As lovely as you two are," Lucas put an arm around me, "Dean took the top spot."

I looked at him. "You mean, you wanted a best mate the same gender as you?"

"Well, he needed _someone _to give him advice on girls."

"Like you have so much knowledge."

He put on a serious, knowledgeable face, which made me laugh. I put my head on his shoulder.

"Have you and Sofia _ever _fallen out?" He asked me.

"Nope." I grimaced. I then left Lucas, and went through his rucksack, to finish off the chicken.

Alfie volunteered to go on guard duty first that night, so I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't. It amazed me how Dean, Sofia, Helia and Lucas could actually sleep while the rain poured down on us, loudly crashing and startling cold. Despite this, my new appearance still lingered on. I looked over at Sofia, to see if hers still was, but she had a jacket over her head to shield from the rain. So I sat up and saw Alfie. Still red-haired.

"Why aren't you asleep?" He asked me suspiciously.

"Obvious reasons."

"I thought that you'd be in your element here, stormy weather and all that."

"You thought wrong."

Once I was sitting up, it became highly apparent I wasn't going to be getting any sleep and so I gathered up some sticks and set shot some electricity at it, to create a campfire. I had to keep zapping it to stop the rain putting it out. We both sat near it, trying to warm up a bit, and I noticed that his hair changed colour again.

"You look normal now." I informed him, whilst feeling my own hair. Yep, back to wavy and knotty, and I also felt lighter again.

"That's not really important."

"Shut up." I snapped, and then I began to think about the first time we truly fell out. The Great Prophecy. I hadn't given it much thought since being on the quest, but I'd been told so many times that somebody was going to die. And then there's the choice I was destined to make. Remembering how Alfie had judged me instantly about this prophecy, I asked him what he knew about it.

"Look, Scarlet. I don't know the exact wording, I just knew that there was a prophecy about a child of Zeus that will cause trouble for us."

"Thanks." I grumbled. "That was helpful."

"Yeah, well that's all I know. And that the choice won't be made until you're nineteen."

"Nineteen? Well that's just over five years away."

"And for a half-blood, that's a very long time."

I thought about that, a little pressure leaving me, but I knew that a part of me was going to be worrying about this 'choice' every single moment of my life until I was nineteen. Presuming I lived that long, of course.

"Alfie, what…" I went to ask him what the gods thought about the prophecy when I was instantly interrupted by a familiar looking girl sitting right in front of us. Immediately, Alfie and I drew our weapons, but her eyes widened and I saw they were normal colour. I knew that I could never actually hurt her; she was trying to reach out to us.

"Please!" She whispered. "Please refrain from hurting me. I just want to talk to you."

Alfie and I lowered our weapons, not fully trusting her but ready to listen.

"What do you want?" I hissed.

"I need… I need to explain. And here." The girl, I noticed, was carrying a leather drawstring bag and she put it in between me and Alfie. "Arrows, for your friend. The reason I recognised her was because she is my sister."

"Wait, her mother…" I stammered, thinking that Helia's mother had another child, but Alfie caught on.

"You're a child of Apollo." He said in realisation. The girl nodded.

"My name is Eliza Chambers, and I was Cabin Seven counsellor in 1892."

We instantly backed up.

"Hold on…" Alfie held his hand up, as if calling for time out. "1892? It's 2013."

Eliza nodded sadly. "I was head counsellor then, but it was also the year I died."

"You… um, you died?" I tried not to sound too gruesomely freaked out.

"I tried to take the Spirit of Delphi…" Eliza started, but Alfie excitedly spoke over her.

"Oh, oh! Holy Athena, I know this! In 1892, a camper tried to take the Spirit of Delphi from the Oracle, who had just died. The spirit usually went from girl to girl, but something went wrong. It killed the girls soul, and but her body was still alive. The spirit has been taking over her over ever since."

"I've been fighting on to keep my soul intact, but she still speaks through me." Eliza informed us sadly, tears in her eyes. "It's hard. I thought, as child of Apollo, I'd be a natural choice to take over as Oracle, but… I don't know what went wrong."

Alfie leaned over and put his arm around her, and I smirked at him. But then Eliza looked up, and her eyes were bright green.

"Alfie, run." I urged him, and the two of us ran like the wind, Eliza chased us and hissed about death. I was ahead of Alfie, but I skidded to a halt as we reached the lake, while Alfie splashed straight in, causing droplets of water to reach my skin. I couldn't help but shudder.

I was aware that Alfie was going to become suspicious that I wasn't following him to a safer place, when Eliza made it to us, and I decided that if I approached her it would give me an excuse not to go in the water.

"_Death. It is coming._" She looked straight at me, and I suddenly wondered why I found her so freaky. She was scared. "_Danger is close._"

"Okay," I consoled her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know."

"_Death._" She sounded so desperate for me to know. I sighed sadly, and looked down whilst patting her on the shoulder. Her eyes shut, and she collapsed down. Alfie rushed out of the water and checked her pulse.

"No pulse." He looked ashen faced. "But then, she probably didn't have one the entire time we were talking to her."

"It's horrible, what happened." I muttered. But then I grinned. "You fancied her."

"Grow up, Scarlet."

"Don't tell me to grow up." I glared at him, but soon had to try not to laugh. "One hundred and eleven years old though."

Even Alfie had to laugh at that, and we deliberated what to do with her.

"Let's just leave her here…" I muttered. Alfie looked incredulously at me, and I quickly justified my point. "Yeah, well she can sleep here, and then… then we can leave her some food. It doesn't sound good but that's the best we can do. If we were staying in a hotel it'd be different."

Alfie reluctantly agreed, and we both hurried to our base. We were soon back by the dead girl, however, to leave her the last bit of food. Alfie looked at her for a bit, and then turned around to walk back. I decided to ease off on the piss taking, but I did offer to go on guard duty. He nodded, then lay down and went to sleep, and I thought about how unfair Eliza's life was.

But then, I thought to myself, there's a good chance that us lot are destined for that kind of misfortune also. It seemed that could be the way of the demigod. I also mused over another fact; this time tomorrow, we would be either dead at the hands of Ladon, or alive with an apple, having succeeded the quest. Alfie had informed me that I did have to be the one to collect the apple, as it was me that was supposed to appease Hera, and that didn't make me feel all too good.

The way I saw it, four of us barely survived ten Laistrygonians. How would six of us survive one hundred dragon heads? It was safe to say I spent most of my guard duty feeling fairly pessimistic, until Dean woke up and took over.

I was looking forward to going to sleep, but I had to talk to him first. As I lay down, I looked up to him.

"Dean," I whispered, "speak to Sofia tomorrow."

"No, Scarlet." He sighed. "Not until she's calmed down somewhat." I went to argue with him, but I just couldn't muster the energy, and fell asleep.


	17. Chapter Seventeen - The Dreaded Day

We woke up fairly early the next day, and the rain had finally let up. The six of us were tenser than we'd ever been when together and hardly spoke. All the food had been eaten the night before – or given to Eliza - and so Dean used his power to cause various types of fruit to grow; pomegranates, oranges, grapefruit, grapes, apples…

Other than that, the fruit was surprisingly nice, and so we were very well fed when we began to get ready to leave. Helia found the leather drawstring bag of arrows and held it up as if it was proof.

"Apollo did this." She informed us confidently. "See."

Neither me nor Alfie seemed to want to correct Helia, but it was the fair thing to do. When we had finished telling the tale of Eliza, Helia was gutted that she missed her. I would have probably felt the same if I had been asleep when another child of Zeus had come along. Other than that…if she was disappointed that her father hadn't actually listened, she didn't show it.

Lucas, before we left, ran back to the lake to check if Eliza was still there. She wasn't, and so she must have left unnoticed while we were asleep. Alfie became very interested in the map… more so than normal, I mean.

Then we departed for the Garden of the Hesperides, and in our normal formation; Alfie up front with the map, Sofia slightly away from the rest of us, highly alert, yet her hands shaking and her eyes were a fearful shade of blue. Helia and Lucas were behind Alfie and they were looking at Helia's new arrows, while I decided to try and persuade Dean to speak to Sofia… again.

"Why can't she come to me?" He questioned.

"Because… because she's not in the right frame of mind." I argued. "You're her boyfriend; do the right thing."

"Well, you're her best friend, why don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes at that, which must have intimidated Dean enough to approach Sofia. I watched as she regarded him suspiciously, and then also watched as she stormed away. Dean came back, looking sullen.

"What did you say?" I hissed at him.

"I didn't say anything!" He protested. I raised my eyebrows at that. "Literally, I opened my mouth to speak and she went off."

I sighed and rubbed my face stressfully. "Well we have more important things to worry about, really. Like staying alive."

"_Ah, ah, ah, ah stayin' alive, stayin' alive._" Lucas found is necessary to sing, while him and Helia both moonwalked over to us. Dean and I looked disbelievingly at each other, but I begrudgingly smiled. I figured that I had better enjoy myself while I could.

We arrived in Heale at half past one, after a four hour solid walk through woods and farms. My converses were positively caked in mud and everybody groaned as we sunk down to rest on the trunk of a massive tree which had toppled over.

"Where's the Garden of the Hesperides, then?" Dean asked.

Alfie pointed towards some fog in the distance, which looked very odd on a late July afternoon.

"We just have to walk through the mist." He informed us.

"Is this the Mist that conceals the mythological part of the world from humans?" I asked, feeling like I was asking an intelligent question for once. "Or is it genuine mist?"

Alfie had to think about this. "I'd imagine a bit of both. But anyway, if a mortal was to walk through that, it _would_ just be like ordinary mist. For us, it will take us to the garden."

"Right." I said decidedly, trying to sound optimistic to raise the moral of my anxious and morbid group. "Let's try and get all the rest we can get before then, have a nap, have something to eat, whatever."

With that, Lucas jumped to the ground and was able to fall asleep on the spot. Dean used his powers to cause some wheat to grow.

"That's all well and good, Dean, but we can't harvest that into bread." Alfie frowned, and Dean grimaced. He then caused some more fruit to grow but I didn't think I could eat anymore, as nice as it was.

None of the rest of us could sleep like Lucas, so instead we sat in stony silence, waiting for sunset.

* * *

The sun began to set at about quarter to nine that evening, and the wait was horrendous. It would have been easier if the quest had been in winter, so that sunset would have come quicker, but the seven and a half hours of rest (procrastination) did us good. Once sunset came at last - and the sky changed from white clouds to a beautiful orange – and despite being stiff from doing nothing for most the day, we had saved our energy. We occasionally picked at the fruit Dean had grown but otherwise just stayed heavy in thought.

I had an overwhelming sensation of finality. This was it. This was the climax of our quest, the moment where I had to prove myself to Hera by stealing an extremely well-guarded Apple of Immortality. I never really gave myself a chance to consider what would happen if I failed, yet survived. Would she kill me? Probably.

The final preparations took place. I practiced my aim for shooting electricity, thinking perhaps it might come in useful. It was also a source of enjoyment and comfort to me, and I managed to send a shoot of it so far into the distance it became unseen, but I heard a mortal yell in pain. I winced slightly.

"Careful, Scarlet." Lucas joked, once he was awake. "Don't want to be killing any mortals."

Sofia was focusing on her knife, and seemed to be practicing different techniques by herself. On a normal day, I would have offered to help, but after the way she responded yesterday, she could piss off.

Alfie was avidly reading an Ancient Greek book, and I wondered if it was the one Athena gave him. I tilted my head to read the front cover and it apparently wasn't. I felt a strange thrill, like I normally did whenever I read Ancient Greek, because after nearly ten years of being treated like a simpleton as I couldn't read English, it made me content to be so comfortable with the other language.

Lucas was playing his reed pipes, and it didn't seem to be anything magical this time. He was playing songs to Helia in an attempt to make her agree with him rather than me about music, although Lucas seemed to be learning some songs on the spot and sounded nothing like it should.

Dean wasn't sleeping, but he was lying down as though he was trying to, and he sort of growled whenever anyone tried talking to him, so I assumed that was his way of trying to prepare for the quest.

I led the way to the mist at sunset and as I reached it, I turned and spoke to them before the peak of the quest began.

"Look, guys," I started, "we have…"

"Scarlet, refrain from speech making, please." Alfie groaned.

"I second that." Lucas agreed.

"Fine." I snapped, and stormed into the mist.

And when I stepped out again, I was in an entirely different place. A path led to a meadow that was surrounded by bushes with flowers. Shadows were also a prominent feature of this garden. In the centre of the meadow was a five metre tall apple tree, with stepping stones forming a circle around it, and it contained ripe, shimmering golden apples, protected by an enormous dragon who was curled around the bottom of it - fast asleep, its one hundred pairs of eyes tight shut.

I took a deep breath and looked back at my friends, who all nodded, eyes wide with fear. I began to lead the way into the meadow, but we were stopped in our tracks by four girls.

They all wore white Greek chitons, and had caramel coloured skin, with loose, dark hair that fell to their shoulders and dark eyes that stared coldly at us. One stood slightly further in front than the others. They could only be the Hesperides.

"Leave, heroes." The first one told us.

"No." I said stubbornly. "Let us past."

"The Daughter of Zeus shows courage." Another one noticed.

"Or is it purely foolishness?" The third considered.

"Look, I have something I need to do." I told them, my temper rising. "So if you could just move and let us…"

"No, Daughter of Zeus." The second Hesperid scolded me. I clicked my fingers for Brontes and the four Hesperides recoiled.

"How dare thee raise weapons at us!" The second one gasped.

"Let us through, and she'll put down the weapon." Alfie tried to reason.

"A son of Athena." The third one commented.

"Not as wise as his mother." The second added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alfie questioned.

"What she means…" The fourth started, but was interrupted.

"Arethusa," the first Hesperid reprimanded, who seemed calmer than the others at the sight of my sword, "let us hear her out."

"But Erytheia!" Arethusa sounded outraged. Erytheia, who must have been the eldest sister, ignored Arethusa.

"Daughter of Zeus, explain your purpose."

I told Erytheia about the quest, and about Hera. While her face betrayed nothing, the other three Hesperides looked disbelievingly at me.

"You are aware that we guard this tree _for _Hera." The second Hesperid told us smugly. "She would not tell thee to come here."

"Aegle." Erytheia held her hand up. "I have come to a decision to let these heroes pass."

The other three all began to protest, but Erytheia shut them up again.

"They have come here knowing the risks. We cannot get them to flee, so we will leave it to Ladon."

At the mention of the one hundred dragon, the other Hesperides stopped protesting and smiled slightly. They went to disappear into the shadows, but one remained.

"No hero has bested Ladon since Heracles, back in ancient times." She informed us. "I do not see what will be so different about thee."

"Hesperia!" Aegle returned and grabbed her sister's arm, bringing her back in the shadows. We were then alone with the sleeping dragon.

"Such nice sisters." Lucas whispered.

"You lot stay here," I whispered back to them, "if Ladon just stays asleep, I can slowly fly up and take the apple."

They nodded, although drew their weapons. Of course, it was nowhere near as easy as I planned it. I tiptoed forwards - more cautious than I'd ever felt in my life - aware that any false move would wake the deadly dragon. My efforts were apparently in vain, for one of the dragon's heads sniffed the air, and then its eyes opened.

Helia, as fast as ever, aimed an arrow in the direction of its eyes, blinding it instantly. She may have sorted out one head, but that left ninety nine, which all burst to life, and I had to run back as about forty went to attack me.

Alarmed, I took a moment to get my breath back and think what we were going to do. The dragon stood, and every head other than the one Helia blinded looked at us menacingly.

"Spread out!" I shouted to the others. At my command, the six of us spread out so we were all around the garden, and I noticed we then seemed to have sixteen/seventeen heads on each of us. That was going to go down well.

I noticed that the dragon wasn't fire-breathing, but that didn't make it any easier. It took a step in our direction.

I tried a head on assault by running straight towards the heads I was facing, and thought I was about to swipe one when another one came at me behind. Rather than biting my side, like it was trying to do, I quickly turned and prevented this, and so it grabbed my rucksack instead. It wasn't able to eat me, but it swung me away. I went flying until I was on the other side of the garden. I tried to grab an apple on my way, but couldn't, and I landed on a heap by where Helia was fighting.

Helia had the most effective weapon at defeating a monster like Ladon. She was able to keep a distance, while firing arrows at the different heads she were facing. The heads were quick at dodging the arrows but she managed to take out about six of them, which was far more than most of the others were doing.

Dean seemed to keep running forwards boldly, and then running back twice as fast to avoid all sixteen heads on him eating him. Sofia was standing frozen in fear, while the heads regarded her, and snapped in her general direction, sometimes swooping over to her which she easily dodged.

Alfie was trying a ground assault, keeping flat to the ground and slowly making his way closer to Ladon, rolling out of the way to avoid heads snapping at him. Lucas was playing a soft, peaceful tune on his reed pipes, causing seventeen heads of Ladons to fall asleep, but at different times, so some were asleep while others were awake, and then some would wake up at different times, and so he had to play constantly to keep them at bay.

I got back to my feet, although I landed funny on my sword arm and it hurt to lift. The heads I was originally fighting were looking around for other people to attack, so I had to rush over - jumping over a head Alfie was fighting which aimed for my ankles - and get back to my position.

I narrowed my eyes, and I decided to try and use some trickery. I ran within eating distance, and then as one of the heads swooped at me, I jumped out the way and sliced off another one. The slimy head fell to my feet. The others all looked at me in rage, and I swiped at the monster, adrenaline keeping me alert as I dodged an attack right at my heart by jumping backwards, and I stabbed inside its mouth. It was a horrific sight; its tongue began to bleed, but it was out of action.

A familiar looking sword landed by my feet. Dean, it seemed, used my technique of throwing the sword as a javelin as a form of attack, and it worked. Two of the heads he was fighting were now decapitated, but he ended up weapon-less. He tried in vain to make the grass grow up, and I knew he was going to try and strangle the heads with it, but it didn't work. They bit at the grass to stop it growing.

I heard a yelp in Alfie's direction, and he was right by the body of Ladon, and just as he was about to stab him in the side - hopefully disintegrating him - but then all his heads twisted over and faced him from behind. For a horrible moment, I thought Alfie was a goner, but then swung his spear in a semi-circle, which - if the heads hadn't moved - would have taken them all down, giving him time to escape, but it put him back in square one, and all his heads looked at him with rage.

Helia had quickly ran out of arrows. The problem with archery was that - for someone like Helia - it worked exceptionally well, as her aim and speed were perfect and fast, but they ran out quickly. They were scattered on the ground, but she couldn't waste time picking them up. Noticing this, I caused the air to fly Dean's sword back to him (managing to take out a head of Ladons) and caused Helia's arrows to the do the same.

I had a sudden idea. I sent out some electricity, and my fourth head was taken. I still had thirteen, but that was much better than seventeen. Being as this power of mine worked, I tried to do the same again, but they were aware now, and even when I actually put down my sword to try and use both hands to zap them, they easily dodged.

The heads Lucas were trying to charm to sleep were beginning to respond. One of them - whose head was closest to Lucas - swooped forward and picked up his reed pipes and chewed them to pieces, before another then snapped at Lucas. Lucas looked horrified, and backed away.

Alfie was having no luck either. He was good with a spear, and because of the length he was able to keep more of a distance than Dean and I - with our swords - but his technique was much better at sword-fighting and singular monsters than seventeen heads. They were dodging; so was he. It just kept continuing.

I picked up my sword and ran back in to fight my remaining dragon heads. I decided to jump, using a little help of the air to bring me higher, and stab a longer necked head, but then while I was up, a head grabbed my foot. Any shred of luck I still had meant that the head didn't bite it off on the spot, preferring to swing me around. I was doomed, but just as I felt the pressure of its teeth sink in –

"LADON! STOP!" Sofia has screeched, as loud as day. To my surprise, he did. The head holding me dropped me to the floor, and I went straight on my back, and this hurt considerably - especially as it was the second time I had landed forcefully on the ground during the fight. My right arm still felt slightly out of place and my entire back felt bruised.

Whilst still sat on the ground - trying not to concentrate on the pain - I looked over at Sofia. Every single dragon head did the same, along with Dean, Helia, Alfie and Lucas. The numerous eyes trained right on her seemed to be disconcerting, but she continued to shout, bravely staring up at Ladon, but still shaking like a leaf.

"LEAVE THESE DEMIGODS ALONE!" Sofia shouted, and I thought she was about to be shared out between the remaining active dragon heads as dinner, but they looked at her, highly confused.

Of course. She was using Charmspeak. Despite how it didn't work against the Furies, which seemed like so long ago, she was giving her power another try. And it appeared to be working - now she was putting more confidence in her voice.

"GO TO SLEEP! UNTIL I TELL YOU TO WAKE!" Sofia demanded, sweat beading on her face and her hair. I realised that her hair was pretty much identical to the Hesperides, accept it was longer, and covered up her face. She pushed it away, and her eyes were bright green…nearly like Eliza's could be.

Ladon collapsed to the ground, and all his eyes shut. We all stared at it in disbelief. Sofia had just caused the one hundred headed dragon to go to sleep.

"Scarlet, go!" She shouted at me now, but she wasn't putting power in her words. She was sounding desperate.

I staggered to my feet, gasping in pain and caused the air to bring me up to the top of the tree. I grabbed a branch and repeated the manoeuvre I did during Capture the Flag whilst I was being a spy for Alfie. I was sitting on a branch and reached out with my left arm. My right arm - on closer inspection -was dislocated. I tentatively grabbed a golden apple. It was so smooth I nearly dropped it, and it looked so appetizing it was all I could do to stop myself eating it. I was briefly aware of a throbbing in my ankle, where the dragon had had its teeth sinking slowly in, and I wasn't sure how long I could sit on the branch without anything to lean against while my back was so battered. But I stared at the apple and I felt so relieved I was very almost tearful, but a scream brought me out of my reverie.

I remembered the line of the prophecy: _And you shall be granted a reason to grieve._

I remembered Eliza's frantic warning, about death approaching.

I remembered the Fates cut the yarn.

I remembered what Sofia said, "It's going to be me."

Sofia.

I looked down in horror and realised that Ladon had woken - quick as ever; the Charmspeak had worn off, and Sofia had deep red - scarlet coloured - blood where her heart was, and she was pale; a colour I had never seen her before. She staggered backwards, and collapsed to the floor.

Ladon was angry that he had been Charmspoken, while I was so angry I could hardly see, aware of thunder crashing as I swung off the branch and landed on my ankles, adrenaline stopping them from breaking as I reached the ground. Moisture in my eyes, I stabbed and swiped with Brontes at the body of Ladon, and he roared in pain, before he staggered back against the tree. He was unable to die, I was sure about that, but he was out of action.

"Sofia!" Dean nearly screamed, and I looked around.

"We need to get her out of here!" Helia shouted.

I focused on the air rising, just like I'd done with Helia, and I held my hand up as we ran out of the garden, which took a lot of effort on my part, my energy feeling drained, my ankle definitely poisoned, my back sprained and my right arm dislocated. But I did, because I _had _to get Sofia back to safety. I had to.

We ran back through the mist, and were back in Heale, Exmoor, where the sky was black. We were safe from Ladon and that dreaded garden, but I didn't care. I so desperately needed to check on Sofia - my life depended on this - so as soon as I landed her, I tried to run over, but my adrenaline ran out. I fell straight to the ground, as Dean, Helia and Lucas gathered around Sofia.

"Sofia…" I muttered. "Let me, no…"

And the darkness finally engulfed me.


	18. Chapter Eighteen - Aftermath

When I woke up, Lucas was pouring nectar in my mouth, but that wasn't what I was focusing on. It was hot - too hot - and yet my skin was ice cold. Little ants were crawling up my legs and pecking at my skin. More and more swarmed onto me, and it filled me with a horror I couldn't explain.

"Get them off of me!" I screamed, jumped to my feet and tried to shake them off. Why was nobody helping? These ants were going to kill me. More and more of them climbed up me while I tried with all my might to _get them the fuck off._

"Scarlet, what…" Lucas sounded so confused. I couldn't see anyone else - my vision was red and I could hardly see – and the intensity of the heat was shocking. I distractedly took my jacket off to cool down, but Lucas quickly rushed to put it back on again and I had to fight him away.

"Put the jacket back on, you're ill." Lucas never sounded so serious, but there was no way I was going to listen to him. Did he think I was mad? The heat would kill me! The ants had made their way right up to my chest and I cried out. I clawed at my top wildly but they just wouldn't go, so I grabbed Lucas by the shoulders in desperation.

"Lucas, I thought you were my friend, help me!" I pleaded.

"Scarlet lie back down, there are no ants." He tried to lie me down calmly, but I was having none of it.

"No!" I started hitting at him, how could he be so heartless?

"What is _wrong_ with her?" I heard Alfie mumble.

"Alfie!" I couldn't see him but I shouted for him all the same. "Help me, get your spear and GET THEM OFF OF ME!"

With my shout, my brain suddenly felt like it was fizzing up, and I fell back to the floor.

* * *

The next time I woke up, I am happy to say I wasn't Scarlet the Schizophrenic. Instead, I threw up - thankfully on the other side of where Lucas was sitting. I had never liked throwing up, so I groaned and lay back down on the floor.

"Not even going to ask about her, then." I could hear Dean scowl.

"What…?" This confused me. Ask about who?

Then it hit. I flew to the air and looked wildly around me. And then I saw her, lying on the floor.

"No…" Sofia Moretti couldn't be dead. She just couldn't. I knelt at her side and shook her. "Sofia! Why have none of you fuckers done anything? Sofia!"

I started to cry hysterically and it felt as though someone had stuck a spear of ice in my heart and began to freeze my insides… slowly decreasing my ability to function.

"She isn't dead, Scarlet." Alfie informed me. I turned to him, hardly believing it.

"What?"

"She isn't dead, Helia saved her." Alfie sounded proud, and I looked over and saw that Helia was asleep, also.

"She used some healing power of Apollo we didn't even know she had." Lucas said. "And she hasn't woken up since. Drained herself."

I noticed that Dean was saying nothing, with his knees up and staring at Sofia - love etched so deeply in his face I was surprised he didn't have wrinkles. I then got angry at the other two boys.

"And you let me sit there _crying_?" I growled.

"You didn't give us a chance to correct you!" Alfie argued.

"Never seen you cry before, though." Lucas grinned. I was well on my way to slap him when a wave of fatigue hit me and I dizzily fell back to the ground.

* * *

The third time I woke up I was fully recovered. I felt as though I'd had a good night sleep, and this time both Helia and Sofia were also awake. Helia was sitting up, smiling brightly, like the whole event never happened, whereas Sofia was leaning against Dean's back, smiling weakly at me.

"You two okay now, then?" I asked. Sofia laughed and looked down, embarrassed, and Dean nodded, grinning.

"Good…" I sat up slowly, and when I realised I was no longer dizzy I rushed over to Sofia and hugged her. "Oh my gods, Sofia, I was so scared…"

"Sorry." She grinned, then looked up at me seriously. "For everything."

"I told you. You were a great hero. And you proved it."

Sofia giggled, and she didn't argue.

"I was pretty good, right?"

"And Helia," I made my way over to Helia. "What's this about you healing?"

"Well…" She shrugged. "Apollo is the god of healing, but I never assumed I might have some of his powers. Evidently I do." She smiled humorously.

I thought that was pretty cool and sat down, making myself comfortable.

"How long have I been out for?"

"Five days."

I nearly threw up again. "_Five days?_ It's the _fourth of August_?"

"You were really ill, Scarley." Lucas seemed to find the funniness in the situation now. "You had done yourself in during the fight, and then completely drained your powers. You were even poisoned, and I didn't have my reed pipes since… Ladon ate them. I had to give you a lot of nectar, which may have been what caused the fever. We can't compare you to how Sofia reacted to the poison, as Helia cured her almost instantly from it, and so I really have no idea whether it was that or the nectar that made you go all delirious."

"And then Helia slept solidly for four days." Alfie grinned at her.

"Where's the apple?" I quickly demanded. Lucas picked it up from the ground and gave it to me, raising an eyebrow. I held it tightly and stared at it once more. We came so far, fought so hard, and nearly died… a _lot_… just for that one piece of fruit. Just to appease a goddess.

"You did well, Scarlet." Dean said to me, seeming in a much better mood now that Sofia was well. There was a murmur of agreement within the group and I looked down.

"Thanks."

"I personally think that the daughter of Aphrodite did exceedingly well." Said a familiar voice, speaking in Old English.

We turned, and standing before us were the Hesperides. I then realised that it was sunset, and so they would, of course, be up.

"And so," Erytheia continued, "Scarlet Swan became the first hero since Heracles to steal an apple and defeat Ladon, and Sofia Moretti realised just how powerful she really was."

Sofia and I grinned awkwardly at each other.

"The daughter of Apollo also exceeded herself." Arethusa pointed out.

"Thank you." I said, on behalf of me, Helia and Sofia.

"I am surprised that the two of you survived Ladon's poison." Aegle mused.

"Scarlet only received a minimal amount," Lucas explained, "and then Sofia..."

It was left unspoken how Helia saved her, but there was an amazed silence.

"We will leave thee now," Erytheia said, "but let us leave thee with this. You are worthy heroes. Every single one of you."

All of us were touched, and thanked her. We watched them walk back through the mist to their garden. All I could think was this; if it were a competition of girls versus boys, we girls would have won by miles.

That night, I said I'd go on guard duty. Shame had started to engulf me… I was their supposed quest leader, yet I seemed to have been a terrible one. I shouldn't have let myself get into the state I did, and my feverous scene… that was just embarrassing.

I mused on this, looking up at the stars, noticing them properly for the first time in my life. I never did in London… the pollution was too thick, right in a city. But here - in the middle of nowhere - you really could see them.

"Brilliant, aren't they?" Lucas asked. I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Why are you still awake?" I demanded, as he perched himself next to me.

"Can't sleep. You feeling alright?"

"Fine." I snapped. He laughed at that.

"Yep, you are."

"Meaning?"

"When you were ill, you didn't snap at me."

I couldn't think of how to respond to that, so just sat there scowling.

"I was worried, though." Lucas commented. I looked at him incredulously. "I know, I know. Usually I'm so tough and bold that anxiety just isn't a natural emotion."

"Skipping the bullshit, please."

"I'm just saying! You were a mess. And screaming about ants…"

"Don't ask me." I grumbled.

"Do ants represent a psychological problem stemming back to your childhood?"

"No! Anyway, my whole childhood was one huge psychological problem. Fatherless, illiterate, medicated, and being attacked by monsters."

"And you've turned out so gentle!"

I hit him at that.

"Seriously, though…" Lucas started again.

"Are you on a roll or something tonight?" I questioned.

"I just wanted to say that you are an absolutely brilliant hero. Like I knew you would be."

I turned to him, an eyebrow raised. "And you're a half decent satyr yourself. But you don't need to keep me talking so I don't fall ill again."

"I'm concerned!" He protested.

"Go to sleep." I ordered. It took a while to make him listen to me, but once he was lying down, he was instantly snoring. I chuckled at that, then decided to sit by the fire, my hands beginning to get cold.

I started thinking about the prophesised death that didn't seem to happen when I was aware that somebody was sitting next to me. I looked up and saw an unfamiliar, yet at the same time oddly familiar, face. He was wearing a pair of tracksuit bottoms, and an orange T-shirt, so in the dark I thought he was a camper, but I realised that it wasn't a camp shirt.

He had an elfish face, arched eyebrows, an upturned nose and a mischievous smile on his face, with black curls so dephined he could give Lucas a run for his money.

"Hello, Scarlet." He winked at me cheerfully, and the wink reminded me of someone.

"Are you Amber's dad? Hermes?"

He nodded, looking amused. "Amber's dad, yes. Not usually how I introduce myself to others."

This was the second god I had met, and I was cautious. Mr D I hardly saw as a god anymore, just our lazy, grumpy, alcoholic camp director. Hermes seemed to me much more of the god type, although I didn't expect him to be wearing a tracksuit.

"Um, hi." I settled by saying.

"Congratulations on the apple." He indicated the apple I was still gripping tightly to. "Got to love a bit of thievery. If Zeus didn't claim you, I might have done. First since Heracles!"

I thanked him, but I was slightly suspicious as to why he decided to pay me a visit in the middle of the night, and I was about to ask him when he appeared to get a phone call on his Blackberry.

"Hello? Yes, hi Ares… yes… I see… no, well… Ares, I can't just… I happen to be on business… I… look, as soon as I'm finished my meeting… you are aware that any explosive materials are destroyed, and the sender is fined 100,000 drachmas? Hm… yes… so you want me to cancel your delivery? Okay, bye now, bye."

Hermes hung up, and he looked slightly stressed. "None of the other Olympians have any idea what it is to have my job. It's always want, want, want. Don't I get a break?"

"You deserve one, yes. But…"

"Yes, why I'm here. A prayer from Amber."

That got my attention. "A prayer from Amber?"

"Yes, a few days ago. It appears she thought you were in trouble, and she prayed to me to help. Turns out you are in a bit of a situation."

"No we're not." I protested. "We're doing great."

"Scarlet-Rose, you have no money and no means of transport. Did you mean to _walk _back to London?"

I stuttered, trying to argue, but he had a point. I didn't even have any belongings anymore, since one of Ladon's heads bit into my rucksack. During my flight across the garden, everything scattered out, and I never had the chance to pick them up. Hermes nodded at that.

"Hm. So this is where I come in. I _am _the god of travellers, after all. You cannot see in this dark, as it is parked further away, but I have given you a gift. A flying chariot, with a pegasus at the realms, to fly you back to London. Inside you will find some necessities to make it, but if your father is in a good mood, and the weather is gentle, you should make it back to London tomorrow afternoon."

"Wow…" I was speechless; his gift was exactly what we needed. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. It was Amber, after all. She's been very concerned."

"Did you speak to her?" I asked. Hermes looked down awkwardly, and that answered my question. I couldn't help it, but this brought to the surface angry, resentful feelings about how the gods treat their children, but I decided that Hermes - an Olympian god himself - would _not _be the right person to rant to.

"You're angry, aren't you?" He asked. I couldn't help it; I nodded. "It's one of the worst things about being a god, Scarlet-Rose. You receive immortality, all-powerful status, temples built in your honour, everybody bowing down to worship the ground you walk on. But what they _don't_ advertise is what happens when it comes to your demigod children. I have fourteen… the second most out of the Olympians – Apollo takes top spot - so I know full well how it feels. We cannot interfere directly with our children, whether it be a quest, or a fight against a monster, or problems at home. The most we can do is watch over our children, and listen to their prayers."

"What if that isn't enough?" I burst out. "Demigods have hard lives, so what if their parent just _watching over _them just doesn't make things better?"

I was worried Hermes would kill me on the spot, but he sighed.

"Zeus set these regulations aeons ago." He saw my outraged look. "Yes, your father came up with this, but he was within his rights to! If we interfered too much, there would be trouble."

"Even when you need help with dangerous quests that are only being fulfilled to appease their bitter wife?" I grumbled.

"Zeus _is _helping, Scarlet." He tried to reason, but the look on my face made him stop with that.

"He has done nothing."

"Maybe it's because you didn't need it."

I wasn't feeling particularly swayed by Hermes' argument, in fact, it was just making me angrier, when his Blackberry bleeped. He picked it up, read it and groaned.

"Demeter being demanding, as usual." He nodded towards Dean. "That's her son, right? Is he annoying too? It's her daughter Persephone that these constant emails are about. Demeter wants a letter delivered to Hades, outlining why Persephone should not go to the Underworld this winter. It's a messy affair; I remember when the dreaded kidnapping incident took place. If only she didn't eat the pomegranates… but, the point is that letters to the Underworld take a long time to be sent, and so she can't expect it to be delivered already! I'd better go and sort this out, or else she'll curse my caduceus into fruit vines, which will delay my businesses a ridiculous amount."

Hermes stood up and brushed his tracksuit down. It transformed into a business suit, and he looked back down at me.

"Goodbye for now, Scarlet-Rose Swan. I'm sure we'll meet again. And don't hate your father. He _is _listening."

I said goodbye to Hermes, and ignored what he said about Zeus. I sat there by the fire until Dean woke up, to take over from me. I planned to tell him and the others about Hermes in the morning, leaving out what he said about Demeter, of course. I imagined Dean wouldn't take it too well.


	19. Chapter Nineteen - We Fall From the Sky

The next morning when everyone woke up and noticed a massive chariot and a brown pegasus next to us, they all instantly look to me for an explanation. Whether that was because I was the most likely to get myself involved in some secret deal in the dead of night, I didn't know, but I told them the story.

"Amber prayed for us?" Alfie asked. "I came to camp at the same time as her. She's great. Quite funny… you couldn't trust her, though."

"Why's that?" I narrowed my eyes.

"She's one of camps greatest thieves." Helia grinned. "Well… one of Cabin Eleven's best. Since she came to camp, the practical jokes got so much better. They tend to be towards the end of summer, so when we get back you'll get to see."

I was amused at the thought of Amber causing trouble and it definitely made me more eager to get back. This being said - even though we had defeated Ladon - I got the feeling that danger hadn't ceased. In our group were five demigods, which was bound to attract attention from monsters. The 'death' hadn't happened, and I hated to sound morbid but that meant it was still yet to occur.

I didn't want to bring it up, for all my friends were calm and relaxed for once - even Alfie, which was saying something. It almost felt like we were back at the beach on Camp Half-Blood, so I decided not to mention upcoming doom.

Instead we examined the chariot, for Lucas had jumped up the minute I said Hermes left necessities and so the rest of us felt compelled to follow. On the floor of the chariot were numerous packets of biscuits; all different brands and flavours, with a six pack of Diet Coke - the glass bottled kind - and some ambrosia and nectar for emergencies. The chariot itself was a lot different to the ones at camp in the way that it wasn't for racing, but quite a lot of floor space to sit down.

We parked ourselves in and started helped ourselves to biscuits. The weather was beginning to become bad again; on the verge of rain. I looked at the couple who were snogging, and smiled. I no longer got distasteful at Dean and Sofia's open affection for each other… I had seen the alternative and it wasn't pleasant.

"It was nice of Hermes, to do this for us." Sofia commented, once she broke away.

"Very, _very _rare for the gods." Alfie responded.

"Mr Optimism." Helia grinned.

"Well it's true!" Alfie protested. "I mean… my mum's been pretty good to me, compared to… anyway, it's just that they don't usually give out gifts like this without something in return."

It did sound logical, but… "Hermes didn't sound like he wanted anything." I pointed out.

"Maybe we've already _given _him something in return?" Dean suggested.

"Like what?" Alfie asked sceptically.

"Like… well… shut up, Alfie."

"Let's not worry about that just yet." I told them. "Let's worry about getting back to London."

"When are we heading off, then?" Sofia asked.

"Um… well, now." I shrugged. "Who can ride a chariot? Helia? Alfie?"

"Scarlet… _you're _riding it." Helia nodded me in the direction of the reins.

"Very funny. Go on Helia, you've been representing Cabin Seven in chariot races since you were eight."

"That's true… and the Apollo cabin's wins _have _improved statistically since I became head counsellor…"

"Yes, on the ground." Alfie argued. "You're a brilliant racer, Helia, but Scarlet's in her element in the sky."

"The sun is…"

"Yeah, it is in the sky, but with Zeus being Lord of the Sky, it makes more sense for Scarlet to fly."

"Alfie," I turned on him, "I have never ridden a chariot before _in my life_."

"Time you practiced then."

Glaring at him, I stood up and took the reins.

"So what, I just tell the pegasus what I need him to do?"

"No." Sofia answered me. "Alex taught me some stuff about them when… well, our cabin _should _do wrestling lessons with Kieran, but instead we go to the pegasi stables. They're only able to communicate with children of Poseidon, so you'll have to steer it yourself."

"Cabin Ten skip lessons?" Lucas laughed. "Sofia Moretti, I am shocked!"

"It's just wrestling. I really don't know why Chiron put us down for it."

"You rebel." Dean smirked, and Sofia raised her eyebrows flirtatiously.

"Yeah, she's such a rebel…" I muttered to myself, before looking back at our pegasus. I pulled the reins and the pegasus refused to move. I frowned, and decided perhaps speaking might help, regardless of what Sofia said. "Right, well… I don't know your name or anything, but if you could take us to London, that would be great."

The pegasus didn't take us to London. He sort of just shivered nervously, and looked down. I glanced back at my friends, who were apparently uninterested, and back at the pegasus, who really didn't appear to like me.

"Look, calm on…" I tried to sound soothing. "We just need to get to London, to finish our quest… please?" I tried to pull the reins again, to no avail. The pegasus did actually look as though it might actually listen to me, but then shivered again and looked down, whinnying.

"Please just take us to bloody London!" I said, get really annoyed with the pegasus. The others sitting down behind me stopped talking.

"Can't get the engine to start?" Lucas winked.

"It won't fly!"

"Well that's because your Zeus' kid." Alfie explained, like we were all stupid for not realising.

"What?" I snapped.

"Horses - and pegasi - are Poseidon's creation. They aren't going to like you."

"Thank you for telling me! Well I _can't _drive it then."

"Like I said before, your dad is the Lord of the Sky. Once you're in the sky, it'll be fine."

"Unfortunately I can't get the thing _in_ the sky." I scowled.

"One sec," Sofia got up and stood next to me, and looked down at the pegasus. "Trust her." Two words in Charmspeak and the pegasus began to fly into the air. Sofia was thrown backwards and I began to panic slightly.

Although it turned out flying a chariot wasn't _too _bad. Once we were in the air - which was a slightly sickening thing to have to control as the chariot was tilted diagonally, and the other five were all pushed to the back - whilst I had to grip onto the reins for dear life to stop myself doing the same.

As soon as the chariot was horizontal again, I was able to think straight, and I found I knew exactly where London was, somehow. We were flying west, which was the completely wrong way, so I turned the reins to the right, so we were heading east. This one hundred and eighty degree turn didn't seem to agree with my friends.

"Scarlet!" Dean complained. I grimaced and ignored Dean. The pegasus was going at a reasonable pace, and we weren't too high in the air - approximately 15 000 feet. We were underneath the clouds, which meant we were able to have a brilliant view, but people wouldn't have necessarily see us if they looked up.

Just like when I was at the top of the tree in Camp Half-Blood, I was fully able to appreciate the view, and felt… well, fully at home. I didn't really need to be concentrating so hard on driving, but I wanted to be better safe than sorry.

"Lucas, don't eat all the biscuits!" I could hear Dean and Lucas now wrestling for the last pack of Maryland, and I wasn't too optimistic about how they seemed to be making the chariot creak.

"Guys, stop." I called out.

"You sound like a teacher." Lucas said casually.

"Shut up."

"My dad has a sun chariot." Helia bragged. "That's how we even _have _a sun in the sky. He drives it from east to west."

"So, does he ever stop driving it?" Sofia asked. "I mean, the whole world needs sun at different times."

"Yes, he does stop… it's a complicated thing."

"I did write…" Alfie started.

"An essay?" Dean guessed.

The conversation they were having swiftly changed, and it sounded like they were having a game of Truth or Dare.

"Wait, I'm playing." I announced, momentarily deciding that I didn't need to concentrate and looked back. I saw Dean and Sofia sprawled at the back - Sofia lying in Dean's arms - while Lucas was lying down against the right wall (which, might I add, was hardly a wall. The right and left sides of chariot were about 75cm) and Alfie and Helia sat near the left one.

As I looked back, I lost control of the reins and the chariot swung downwards, and I had to quickly concentrate again to gain control.

"Maybe not." Alfie answered dryly, once we were safe again. "If we want to live."

"Ha ha." I laughed sarcastically.

"No, seriously Scarlet." Dean added sincerely.

"Does anybody else want to insult my driving? Nobody? Good. Next person is going to be thrown off." I threatened.

"Okay, Truth or Dare!" Lucas exclaimed quickly. "Before Scarlet sends us to our death. Somebody ask me a question!"

"You choose Truth, then?" Sofia laughed.

"Alright," Alfie started, "what time do you think it is, right now, without looking at a watch?"

"Alfie… have you ever _played _Truth or Dare?" Dean muttered.

"I have a better one," I could almost hear Helia grin. "If you had to belong to any cabin, which one would you choose?"

Lucas deliberated for a while on this. "Well… not Aphrodite - despite my looks - as if I were their sibling, they wouldn't want to go out with me."

"Lucas…" Sofia reprimanded.

"Sorry, Glamour Model! Hm… Dean's my best mate, so I couldn't be a Demeter kid… oh, I know! Cabin Eight."

"That's the Artemis cabin…" Helia sighed.

"Yeah, Artemis," Alfie chipped in. "The goddess who vowed to be a maiden forever."

"Bit like Athena." I decided to add. "And we still have to put up with Cabin Six."

"Artemis is different." Alfie argued. "She vowed never to fall in love with a man, either, and doesn't have demigod children."

"This is beside the point." Helia changed the subject. "Lucas pick! Now!"

"Fine! Cabin Twelve."

I nearly crashed the chariot in shock, and the others seemed to be feeling equally surprised.

"You'd want to be Dionysus' kid? _Mr D?_" Alfie sounded repulsed.

"Yeah. I figured if I were his son, he wouldn't be such an arse. Who's next?"

"I'll have a Dare." Helia announced.

"Not really much we can do…" Dean mused. "We'll have to stick to Truth."

"Ugh, fine." Helia sounded annoyed. "Someone ask me something. Unless you're Alfie."

"I have one!" Lucas cried. "Who do you hate?"

"Who do I hate?" Helia sounded like this was a strange concept.

"This is quite interesting, actually." Alfie laughed.

"I don't hate anyone." Helia answered confidently.

"That's a lie." I teased. "Come on, who do you hate?"

I was absolutely sure she was about to tell us, when I heard the dreaded sound of the pegasus starting to whimper, and I looked in horror as he froze in fear. He stopped flying.

"No!" I shouted.

Sofia rushed back over in a panic, as the chariot started to fall.

"Start flying!" She commanded. But the pegasus must have lost its ability to hear, and we continued to plummet down. I deemed there no point in holding the reins as Sofia and I went back to our friends - all of us gripping hold of each other, as if that would somehow protect us from falling.

"What can we do?" Lucas shrieked. "We're going to die!"

"No we're not." I gritted my teeth. "ZEUS! HELP US!"

I had been hoping - just for that moment - Hermes might have been right, and that my father _was _watching and listening. But I soon had to accept Zeus wouldn't be helping me anytime soon.

I was so angry that thunder shook the air and it began to rain, which just made our fall far more unpleasant, as I cursed my father mentally. Sofia was continuing to try and Charmspeak the pegasus into flying again, but it wouldn't work.

Just in time, I had an idea. It would drain my energy - and might not even have worked - but it was the best hope we had. I ran to the edge of the chariot and looked down, and nearly felt sick at how fast we were zooming into a large looking city, and gulped. I grabbed Sofia and Lucas' arms, and got them to do the same to somebody else, until we were all gripping somebody.

My timing had to be perfect. I waited… and waited… and then I willed the air around us to keep us in the air as the chariot crashed to the ground, while the pegasus broke its reins and flew free. I chose the timing so that, when I let go of the air, we landed gracefully down…rather than a heap on the floor, broken and dead.

"So Helia." I said, in between panicked breaths. "Care to tell us who you hate?"

"Right now," She answered, gritting her teeth, "that bloody pegasus."


	20. Chapter Twenty - Roaming Aimlessly

The chariot was in absolute ruins, and we had to quickly run away before the mortals could see and start asking questions. Thankfully it was on a less than busy road, but we soon found ourselves slap bang in the middle of the city - on the high street - which was lined with low, rectangular fountains, that squirted about fifteen sprays of water each.

"Well, that was successful." Dean said, with false enthusiasm.

"Now what?" Alfie complained. "We're back to where we started, no transport, and no money to get home."

"Where even are we?" Helia muttered.

"Bristol." Lucas answered. We all stared at him incredulously.

"What? I was assigned to a school here five years ago. You think my only job has been Tufford?"

"Anyway," I intercepted, "we need to think of a plan of action. Alfie, give me your map."

"I'll look." Of course. After about a minute of him examining his map, and the rest of us waiting impatiently, he said, "On the train, it would take about two hours. I don't even want to think how long it will take to walk."

I stamped my foot in frustration. Why couldn't the pegasus just _not _be scared of me?

"Why doesn't Sofia just, like, Charmspeak someone into giving us two hundred pounds?" Dean joked.

"Oh, I couldn't." Sofia shook her head. "That would be awful."

"Unless we want to give the apple to Hera when we're eighteen, we might have to." I grumbled.

"Look, it'll be cool. Where there's wisdom, there's a way." Alfie pointed out.

"Was that your attempt at some deep, intellectual quote?" Lucas asked him.

"Okay," I intercepted, "let's split up and look around."

"Okay, Fred. We'll split up and search for clues." Dean and Lucas both howled with laughter at that. With one frown from me, they both soon shut up.

"Okay, Dean, Lucas and Sofia go down _there_." I pointed one way. "Then Helia, Alfie and I will go the other."

Everybody murmured agreement - apart from Lucas, who was shaking his finger like he was the Queen of Sass.

"What, Lucas?" He carried on shaking his finger until I pushed his arm down, and he looked disappointed.

"You're just jealous. Anyway, I am _not _playing third wheel to these two lovebirds. No way."

I looked over at Sofia and Dean, who were obliviously having a 'moment', with Sofia walking on Dean's feet. I began to start to miss them arguing.

"Okay, Dean and Alfie, swap." I commanded. I was glad to be rid of Alfie, if I was honest, and then Helia, Dean and I made tracks.

* * *

After walking around aimlessly for half an hour, we could safely conclude that nothing came up that could possibly help us on our quest. We came across BBC Bristol, which Helia and Dean both wanted to go to, but I had to stop them.

We found ourselves back at the fountains on the high street and sat down dejectedly on a bench.

"What are we going to do?" I groaned.

"Hopefully Alfie and the others found something." Helia suggested brightly.

"Hopefully." I agreed half-heartedly.

"I wish we could phone Chiron or something." Dean sighed. "What's the deal, how comes demigods can't own mobiles?"

"What's a mobile…" Helia sounded confused.

"Helia, we told you when Argus was driving us into London, on the first day of the quest." I explained to her again.

"Oh! Well, I don't know why demigods can't have them, as I only found out what they were eight days ago, but I remember Chiron having to confiscate one from someone in my cabin. They're dangerous, put it that way, but…" Helia froze.

"What?" I demanded, jumping to my feet and scanning the area for monsters.

"No, I've just had an idea."

Helia rummaged through her rucksack until she found a golden coin, which did not look like the average Great British Pound.

"What's that?" Dean asked, also bemused.

"Golden drachma, currency of the gods." She explained, and passed it to me and Dean to look. "On one side is a face of one of the gods, and on the other is the London Eye."

I looked at the coin, and realised that one side read 'Ἀπόλλων', which I was able to translate from Ancient Greek to English. Apollo. The head looked like Apollo must have done in his Ancient Greece years, and the picture looked like it could have been taken straight from a marble statue – Apollo was looking heroically up, with curly hair. Helia has obviously been keeping this for a reason.

"Why's the London Eye on the other side?" Dean questioned, obviously oblivious to the sentiment this coin held to Helia.

"The London Eye is where Mount Olympus is."

"What?" I asked, disbelievingly. "I've gone on the London Eye with Sofia twice, and we _definitely _weren't on Mount Olympus."

"You have to ask for a golden pass. You then go in a special pod, which - when you get up to the very peak of the Eye - leads you to Mount Olympus."

Dean and I both nodded slowly, as if that made sense.

"_But_," Helia continued, "this coin is our way to make contact to camp."

Helia explained that, while demigods didn't have phones, they _could _use Iris-messaging. This involved praying to the rainbow goddess, Iris. If you create a rainbow – which entailed a spray of water that created an arc and some light - and throw a drachma in, before saying who you wanted to speak to, you could communicate with whoever.

The rain I had caused in my anger had subsided, but we were left with grey clouds which looked as though they were soon to part, but this still left us with a lack of light. But luckily for us, we had Helia, who was able to produce light in the palms of her hands, and so we pretty quickly managed to make a rainbow. Also luckily for us, we were right in front of numerous fountains. I was quite concerned as to what the mortals might think, but Helia assured us that the Mist should cover up what we were doing. With the hand that wasn't creating light, Helia threw in the drachma.

"Helia!" I protested, concerned about how she was throwing away one of the only connections she had to her father.

"It's fine, Scarley… O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept our offering."

Suddenly the mist shimmered. It began to glisten - in a way that only told me that our prayer had been listened to. Helia nodded at me, and I began to recite the words she had told me to say.

"Show us Chiron, in Camp Half-Blood."

The mist shimmered again, and we were shown the sight of Camp Half-Blood. I couldn't help but smile, even though we weren't shown much of the best parts. Chiron was sitting where Mr D sat the day Sofia, Dean and I first came to camp - outside on the decking, where the weather was bright and sunny as usual. He was reading a book in his wheelchair form. He briefly looked up, and his eyes widened.

"Scarlet! Helia… Dean. Thank the gods, you're alive. It's been eight days now, I've been growing concerned. But wait… where are the other three?"

I explained that they were looking around somewhere else, and the three of us began to tell Chiron what had been happening. He looked horrified when I started talking about the fight in Tesco, and sighed in relief when I announced I had the apple. He was also very intrigued when Helia explained how she managed to heal Sofia. But - asides from that - he was stumped as to how we could get to London. He was unable - like the gods - to interfere in our quest, but I didn't mind. Just speaking to my teacher gave me some source of comfort, although I had to admit to myself I was expecting him to sort our problem out. He always used to when he was Mr Ronich the Latin teacher…when Sofia, Lucas and I were at Tufford. There was one occasion where I had gotten into a massive argument with the head girl in Year 11, as she wanted to put me in detention one time for going on a computer in the library when I hadn't reserved one. The whole affair was ridiculous, although within the rules of the school, she was in the right. As if from nowhere, Mr Ronich… _Chiron_ came out and he mulled the whole thing over by saying I was doing him a favour, which was bullshit, as all I wanted to do was print out a picture of some beef to post through Lucas' locker, as a joke. And that was that; Chiron got me out of trouble. That happened a lot throughout the school year, so naturally Chiron saying he was unable to help us was a surprise.

"I do have to get going though." Chiron sighed. "It was by luck you caught be during lunch, I have to get back and teach Cabin Six and Eleven for their archery class."

He didn't have time to finish his goodbye as the connection timed out. I looked around nervously, but none of the mortals appeared to have noticed anything strange happening.

"Well…" Dean murmured. We started walking down the high street.

"We should find out where the others are." I announced. "But in a city this big, it sounds slightly impossible."

"We'll do it." Helia responded confidently. Just as I was about to ask how, somebody tapped me on the shoulder. I turned – startled - hoping it would be either Sofia, Lucas or Alfie, but it wasn't. It was a complete stranger.

"I knew it." He shook his head and stared at me.

"What?" I snapped.

"I'm from Somerset. You and two others were in my local news, love. Running from Tesco?"

Oh shit. I couldn't even think of an argument before Helia had grabbed me and Dean by the arms and started running as fast as our legs would carry us back in the direction we came. We ran until we were out of breath, and well away from the high street.

"Oh no." I grimaced. "I can't believe this."

"We have to get out of here." Helia agreed.

We wandered around and desperately tried to find our other friends, when we came across the University. We should have known that Alfie would have been drawn straight to there.

"If I wasn't a demigod, this would be one of the places I applied for." Alfie was informing Sofia and Lucas. They didn't hear us approach. "The history is quite fascinating. It started off as a The Merchant Venturer's Technical College, in 1595. It only managed to get its royal charter due to two men, who were in the tobacco and chocolate industry."

"As interesting as that is," I replied, making the three of them jump, "we have bigger problems to face."

"Like what?" Sofia asked nervously.

"You, Scarlet and Alfie are in the South West local news…for the whole Tesco incident. And someone from Somerset recognised Scarlet. You're on the run, guys." Helia sighed.

"Then we need to get out of here!" Alfie exclaimed.

"That's what I said." Dean agreed.

"How?" I demanded. "And why is Lucas looking miserable?"

"We had to drag him away from these teenage girls who were protesting about the ill treatment of the wild." Sofia grinned.

"You're the child of the goddess of love, I thought you'd get it." Lucas sniffed. "They liked me!"

"Yeah, yeah, Lucas." Sofia put an arm around him jokily.

"Problem is," Alfie changed the subject, "we have no way of getting out. There was a competition in the museum, for one hundred and fifty pounds…"

"Then why don't we do that?" Dean replied.

"It was for charity." Alfie told him.

Then from the sky, three massive golden eagles landed by us. Golden eagles were big enough normally, - just over a metre at their biggest (I don't know how I knew this) but these ones… these ones were big enough to fit _people_ on.

"_Wassup?_" I heard one of them say.

"Sorry?" I asked, confused. I was aware of my friend look at me, fearing my sanity.

"_Yeah, you can hear us._" Said another. "_Miss Zeus' Kid._"

"Oh! Guys, I'm not going mad, I can communicate with eagles. How comes you're here?"

"_Well, child of Zeus in the vicinity, thought we'd check it out. "_

"_We haven't seen one of you in a very, very long time."_

"I don't suppose you could do me a favour?" I asked.

"_Depends what it is?"_

"Take us to London? Please?"

The eagles considered it. In the distance I began to hear police sirens. Sofia, Alfie and I needed to get away. _Fast_.

"_Yeah, why not?"_

Relieved, we climbed onto the eagles, two on each. I went with Sofia, Dean went with Lucas and Alfie with Helia. Just in time, the eagles flew into the air, and I wasn't sure what the mortal police and university students saw - as opposed to six teenagers flying on giant eagles - but they must have seen something.

"Oh my gods, this is…" Sofia sounded lost for words.

"Brilliant." I couldn't help but grinning. The eagles were a lot better at ascending into the sky than I was on the chariot.

"_We're pretty great, huh?" _The eagle carrying me and Sofia gloated. I looked down at the scene below me, and revelled in our escape. Police officers were now calling for back-up. I was surprised; it was only a fire in Tesco, but I guess six teens running around the country was pretty suspicious. I then remembered how some mortals saw us kill the sphinx. It didn't take me long to realise they must have seen us fighting a cat. I felt angry for a couple of moments, at how the local news must have been perceiving us, and I was sure it was going to make national headlines, but I didn't care. We were free - with no risk of crashing back down - and would soon be back in London to finally complete our quest and get back to camp. We were nearly free, and that felt wonderful.


	21. Chapter Twenty One - The Boy Entrappment

"Scarlet," Sofia asked me tentatively, as we continued to fly to London, "what… what are you doing at the end of summer?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you going back to your mums? Or are you going to stay year round?"

Oh, jeez. I had never thought about it. I was so focused on surviving the quest, I hadn't even begun to consider my decision.

"Truth is, Sofia, I have no idea. You?"

"I… I think I want to be a summer camper only."

"You do?"

"I'm really, really missing my dad. And I think I'll be able to survive. I can Charmspeak. And I'm not too powerful so monsters won't find me as much."

I was about to argue when she raised a hand to stop me – a risky manoeuvre when you're flying on the back of an eagle.

"Not in that sense. I'm talking about my scent."

"Scent." I scoffed. "The way people talk about demigods, we're made to sound like animals. Treated like it to, by the gods."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is, Sofia. Have you ever met, or even spoken to Aphrodite?"

"Well, no… but she's my mother. I have to care for her."

"No you don't."

"_Um, Miss? We're about to land."_ Our eagle informed me.

"Thank you… um, what's your name?"

"_I don't have one. I'm a fucking eagle._"

"Calm down."

By the time we descended into London, I was informed by Dean that it was about half five. Nearly evening. We jumped off and thanked the eagles.

"I'm going to give you names." I announced. "Bobby, Bilbo, and… Baggens?"

"You can't have two eagles named Bilbo and Baggens. Bilbo Baggens?" Lucas shook his head, amused.

"I like it." I said defensively, and apparently so did my eagles. They stood up and looked even prouder than before - if that were possible - and they flew off into the sky.

"We're in Trafalgar Square!" Alfie sounded excited. I should have realised that a place like this would interest someone like Alfie, but for me… well, it had the same sentiment that the drachma did for Helia. This was the place my parents met.

I looked round, and could almost imagine the scene. I could imagine the rain pouring down, and my mum - beautiful and young - sitting down melancholically. The image in my head was ruined by the fact that I couldn't visualise what my dad looked like, and I was angry again.

"Okay, so we need to head to the London Eye." I said. I felt more confident now we were in London. I _knew _this place. I knew exactly where we needed to go and was about to lead my friends to Olympus, but they had other ideas.

Alfie told us that he _had _to look around. Sofia, Dean and Lucas were excited at the prospect, and so I thought we may as well. We had ages, anyway. Helia and I lagged about behind while I looked around - slightly overwhelmed - thinking this was the place it all started.

"You alright?" Helia asked.

"Yes." I snapped. She looked at me, eyebrows raised, and I tried to decipher whether she was hurt, angry, or amused. I sighed. "This… this is, um, the place my parents met."

"Ah." Helia nodded understandingly, and I was happy that she didn't show pity, or ask more questions.

Alfie was chatting away - talking about different facts and dates, which I doubted anybody was truly interested in.

Just as we were about to leave, three girls came in front of us, and they were about fifteen. They looked like typical, mortal teenage girls looked like… they had dip died, back brushed hair, wore patterned leggings, khaki green coats and white, see through blouses. Their makeup wasn't done very well, and I saw Sofia look critically at it, and then the question of 'what do they want?' struck me.

"Yes?" I questioned. The girls smiled.

"My name is Frankie." The first girl informed us. "And this is Alisha and Laura. We're filling out a survey on what it's like to be homeless, and would love it if you could help us."

"Um, no, we're busy." I said shortly.

"And we're not homeless!" Sofia added.

"Oh no, honey." Alisha smiled consolingly. "We aren't judging."

"Yeah, but we're not homeless. Really. But we have to go." I informed them.

"Please!" Frankie batted her eyelashes, like that was going to fucking work.

"I'm sorry, but we're really busy."

"Scarlet," Alfie consoled. "it wouldn't hurt to talk, would it?"

"Alfie!" I snapped. "We aren't even homeless, what are you doing?"

"They say we're homeless, though." Dean shrugged, and Alfie nodded in agreement.

"We have to go somewhere important… remember?" I glared at them.

"That can wait." Alfie argued, although he sounded dazed.

"You know what, fine." I said angrily. "You stay here, we'll go to Olymp… to the place." I stopped myself saying 'Olympus' so I didn't freak the girls out, but it turned out they were _very _aware of the mythological world.

Just as I was about to storm away the three girls transformed in front of us. They weren't the fairly pretty teenage girls they were only seconds before. They had faces that were sheet white, with fire instead of hair; eyes that were red. Their leggings were gone, and we saw that their legs were mismatched. One leg was a donkey leg, and the other was a prosthetic celestial bronze.

"Empousa!" Lucas exclaimed. "Run!"

I wanted to fight, but something told me running was probably the easiest bet. It was going quite well; we managed to escape Trafalgar Square and get well away from the monsters, and pause for breath.

"They're horrible creatures…" Helia panted. "They feast on the blood of man."

It was then that I looked around and realised that Dean and Alfie weren't there. Looking back over, I realised that the empousa were back in their teenage form, and were luring the boys closer.

"Oh no they don't." Sofia sounded outraged, and we ran straight back to them.

"Come out of the trance!" Sofia used her Charmspeak to shout at the boys and they stopped in their tracks, looking confused. But then their attention went back to Alisha and Laura. Frankie approached us and sneered at Sofia.

"We are daughters of Hecate, goddess of magic. You think your petty Charmspeak can out strengthen _our _charms?"

The boys were heading to Laura and Alisha, who were reeling them in seductively. Sofia was fuming, and she took out her knife and stabbed Laura, who was reeling in Dean. Her first monster kill; and it was because someone was charming Dean Crown.

As Laura vaporised into monster dust, Alisha and Frankie shrieked with rage and both turned to Sofia. They changed back to their empousa form and snarled viciously. Meanwhile, Dean and Alfie were beginning to come back their senses. This being so, Alisha went back to them both - charming them to daze at her with longing, while Frankie snarled at Sofia. Helia and I drew our weapons.

Sofia dashed backwards, and she could hardly conceal the grin on her face at the fact she managed to vaporise Laura, while Helia fired an arrow at the empousa. Frankie raised her hand and froze the arrow in its tracks - using magic - and Helia and I looked at each other in disbelief.

We were going to have to be cautious with our attacks. Helia took on Frankie, while I decided to stop Alisha hypnotising Dean and Alfie. I ran in front of her with my sword out, and she laughed.

"Alfie, Dean, snap out of it!" I shouted at them, but of course it didn't work. I ran in to stab Alisha, but she grabbed my sword arm, and bared her fangs at me. I was about to be killed by this hybrid/teenage girl/vampire/robot thing, when her eyes widened, and she vaporised. Helia had managed to aim several arrows from behind Alisha.

I could hear Alfie and Dean groaning behind me. Now Alisha had gone, the spell seemed to have been broken. I didn't have time to look, however, because I had to swerve out of the way to avoid a pouncing Frankie, whose teeth were bared.

Frankie was evidently older than the other two and was a lot more skilled at escaping us. Alfie - in an obvious attempt to redeem himself - tried to swipe at her, but just as he was about to vaporise her, she disappeared in flames, reappearing straight behind Helia, who turned and yelped. Helia instinctively ran which caused Frankie to laugh, and turn back to Alfie and Dean.

"Dean… Alfie…" She said seductively. The two of them faltered, and lowered their weapons.

"No!" Helia protested, but it had no effect.

"Dean Crown and Alfie Harper! You _will _stop listening to her." Sofia commanded again. It appeared to work more for Dean, as he was in love with her. Alfie didn't have that compulsion to listen.

Dean raised his sword again and charged at Frankie, but Frankie held up a hand – laughing - and Dean froze. If I was very, very slow, I might be able to sneak up behind Frankie and vaporise her, but Sofia needed to continue Charmspeaking. I nodded at her slightly and she understood immediately. She began to command the boys not to listen to Frankie, and so Frankie had to concentrate twice as hard on charming Alfie and Dean.

While this was happening, I snuck behind her - a feat that was only made possible by my height - and slowly raised my sword. Frankie was soon replaced by a pile of gold monster dust.

I marched over to Dean and Alfie and looked at them disgustedly.

"You two are such _idiots_." I shook my head. "Three easy looking girls come along, and boys instantly get transfixed."

"Sofia," Dean rushed over to his girlfriend, "that wasn't me, it was her! She twisted my mind, I had no idea what I was doing…"

"It's fine, Dean." Sofia grasped his shoulders and kissed him. "I know."

"On a scale of one to ten," Lucas came up to Alfie, "how embarrassed are you?"

Alfie glared at him. "They weren't even pretty, for fuck sake."

I was about to make a taunt when the sound of sirens could be heard and I saw police officers jump out of cars. Tourists and fellow Londoners alike were gathered around, watching us appallingly. I looked at the others and I didn't need to give them the instruction. We ran.

We ran until we made it to the nearest tube station, Charing Cross, and bolted down - Helia and Lucas seemingly over their underground aversion. Or that they were more concerned about the police that were after us. We squeezed past people on the long escalator down, and there were quite a few tuts, until we pretty much jumped down.

"Okay, so Northern or Bakerloo line?" Sofia mused.

"It doesn't matter!" I exclaimed, and dragged her down one of the paths. I was feeling slightly optimistic about my plan, until we made it to the platform and found there was nowhere to hide.

We tried to conceal ourselves in a crowd that had formed, but it was no good. We were six - very rough looking - teenagers, and so we stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Right, stay close." I muttered. "Do our best to blend in."

"Do you want me to use Charmspeak?" Sofia asked.

"If you can."

Six PCs entered, one for each of us. We retreated, but they saw, and soon had us backed up. We were positively trapped.

"Put your knives to the floor." We were commanded. Only Sofia actually _had _a knife, the rest of us - other than Lucas - had swords, shields, or a bow and arrow. We _did _however do as they ordered, although I was pretty screwed as I couldn't exactly blow on the weapon, and I had no rucksack, so swiftly passed Brontes to Lucas to put in his. This created uproar.

"PUT YOUR WEAPONS, DOWN." We were commanded again, but we didn't.

"We've put them away!" I argued. They looked at me suspiciously, but I had a point. They started to approach us calmly, but then they grabbed. Sofia and Lucas were instantly handcuffed, and Sofia kept trying to Charmspeak, however she was shaking and she didn't sound sure enough. The rest of us tried to put up a fight. Helia was kicking wildly in the soft spot of the man trying to handcuff her, while Alfie had his in a headlock. Dean was slightly more wary, as his was a woman, so instead he tried to run for it, but that didn't work.

I was kicking the woman trying to arrest me, which didn't make me feel particularly pleased, but I couldn't let myself get taken to the station. I couldn't. However these people had been professionally trained, and so I was soon - to my absolute dismay - nearly handcuffed, but I gave off one of my static shocks instinctively. The woman looked surprised, and I started to back away - my mind thinking rapidly of how I was going to help my friends escape - but then she grabbed me, and this time I gave off no shock and ended up handcuffed.

Now we were down, our names were being demanded.

"What's your name?" Mine asked, in a rough voice. I raised an eyebrow, clearly highlighting that I wouldn't be answering that. "Tell me your name. If you don't co-operate, then your chances of receiving bail will be minimalized."

I deliberated. I then decided I might as well say… maybe if I _did _co-operate, the whole thing might blow over.

"Scarlet Swan," she then said, sounding highly official, and I knew what was coming. "I am arresting you on suspicion of animal cruelty, arson, theft and the murder - or accompanying the murder - of three teenage girls. You do not need to say anything, and anything you do say will harm your defence, and may be held against you in court."

I could hear my other friends having similar speeches being made at them, and we all got taken away, back up the escalator into London, and then into a car. The whole time I looked down at my feet, completely mortified and angry, feeling the disgusted and judgemental stares of the mortals we passed. We had come so far, survived so much, only for it to be ruined at the end by mortals. Despite how I'd always been labelled as a 'troublemaker', I never in a million years thought I'd be arrested. This really was the cherry on top of the hell our lives had been the last eight days.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two - Prison Break

"Scarlet, if you could please tell us your legal address?" I was asked. I was now sitting in an interview room, with a DCI sitting on the other side of a desk. They had all gathered that I was the leader and so I got the big man of CID himself. I refused to answer his question.

I was put in a car with Alfie and Lucas, and none of us spoke. Lucas was trying not to cry and Alfie was looking around the car as if searching for a way out. We were then herded into the station, and, due to the severity of our 'crimes', we didn't go to cells, and instead were split up and put into interview rooms. I was scared to death as to what was going on for everybody else, but I knew how I was going to deal with this interview. By not answering anything.

"Scarlet," the DCI leaned forwards now, "we need a home address. So we can contact your parents."

I scoffed at his use of plural and then regretted this. He latched on to what I had revealed about myself.

"So just one parent? Mother? Father?" I said nothing now, although anger was bubbling at the surface. "Okay… let's ask something else. Could you tell me how you managed to make it from Somerset, to Bristol, to London, without any means of public transport? We've checked CCTV, you haven't been sighted at any relevant train or bus stations. Even airports."

I continued saying nothing. I knew exactly what his approach was; ask me all the irrelevant questions before he moves on to the important ones. I had my own plan… say nothing, whilst plan when the best time to strike him with electricity. I swiftly changed this plan when I realised the door was locked. I wouldn't be able to get out if I did that, and it was unlikely that my strike would knock him unconscious. It would just mean more trouble for me. I debated demanding a lawyer, and they try and get Chiron - or some god - to bail us out of trouble, but then that would be like a confession. I figured if I kept 'lawyers' out of it, it would make me look more innocent. Probably no logic to that, but what did I know?

The thing that really angered me was that none of this was us. The people we had attacked were _monsters_. The fire in Tesco was caused by _monsters_. And yet, I couldn't explain this to a mortal. They saw what the Mist allowed them to see, and they wouldn't even begin to understand me if I explained to them the truth. Instead, I would probably get sectioned under the Mental Health Act. And so, I more or less had to accept that I _was _a hooligan, rather than the truth. And that was frustrating.

"So, Scarlet," my DCI began again, "who are your friends, who you've been travelling around with?"

His 'good cop' act wasn't washing with me. Any moment, I was expecting him to suddenly become 'bad cop', and start shouting. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The DCI (I wasn't listening when he introduced himself) looked surprised, but looked to the tape recorder.

"Interview paused at… 19:05." He then clicked the pause button, and I felt an instant wave of relief. I was no longer being recorded. He got up and opened the door, and to my intense surprise, Sofia was standing there. She must have got her act together and managed to Charmspeak.

"What the… "and just as he was about to yell for security, I zapped him from behind with the strongest surge of electricity I could muster, and it was enough to knock him out and because I did it from behind, he would never know it was me.

"Scarlet, oh my gods…" We quickly hugged. "I had this DC, and I've been trying to Charmspeak her since we got here. She was so resistant, for a mortal, and it took me a while, but I managed to get her to destroy my interview tape and then let me out of the room, before going to sleep. I then came here."

"We need to get the others. Firstly, Lucas. I want my sword back." I said decidedly.

"Celestial bronze won't even work on them." Sofia pointed out.

"I don't care."

I was happier about being out of that room than I imagined, although we had to jump back in as a couple of uniformed police walked down. They peered inside curiously, but we were behind the door. Very 'hide and seek', but it worked, and before checking down the corridor, we came out, and went to the next locked interviewing room. We pressed an ear to the door and could hear Helia being questioned.

"Miss Underwood, we can't find any records of an address, school… we only found a mother, who passed away eleven years ago. Could you please explain this?"

We had to get Helia out of there, fast. We tried the knocking on the door technique Sofia used, but the interviewer ignored us. I tried sending a spark through the door to break the lock, but that didn't work either. And then I had my ingenious plan.

It took us longer than I would have liked, but we managed to find some PC uniforms behind the front desk, which took some very careful sneaking around. We rushed to the girls toilets and quickly put them on. We tucked our hair into the hats, and Sofia used her magic to make us look slightly older.

"It's very temporary." She assured me. "It should last half an hour."

I was still worried that this may go wrong, but I nevertheless went along with it. Sofia also tried to give me a grown up figure - also very temporary - so I didn't look like a thirteen year old boy. We stepped out the toilets and tried our best to look like we belonged in the station. We both agreed to put on accents - to try and make us sound older - and so we decided to be posh. We based this on the way Alfie spoke.

There was a plaque on the desk saying that the PC at the desk was called Harold, and so I decided to refer to him by name when speaking to him.

"Excuse me, Harold." I put my best adult voice on. He looked up, rather confused.

"Sorry, I don't recognise you."

"I'm Rose?" I went for the second part of my irritating double barrelled name. "PC Rose… Young." I also went for my nan's maiden name.

"PC Alexandra Dove?" Sofia also added, using her sister's name and the animal of her mother. Nice.

"I haven't heard of you before…" Harold still looked suspicious. We agreed that we wouldn't use Charmspeak while undertaking this task, but I looked at Sofia and we silently agreed; we had no choice.

"We _are _police officers here." Sofia said slowly. "And we would like keys to the interviewing rooms."

Harold looked dazed, but he nodded and passed me the key.

"Thanks!" I grinned, but soon wiped off my face as Sofia and I hunted the interviewing rooms again. We went straight to the one with Helia in, and saw that she was looking highly stressed out. Of course she would be facing a rougher time of it, due to her having no records of ever being alive in the mortal world. She looked around and her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of us - dressed up as police officers. The look in my eyes told her to not say anything.

"Yes?" The DC snapped.

"Emergency has occurred!" Sofia put on a panicked tone. "Two of the teenagers, Scarlet Swan and Sofia Moretti, have escaped!"

"Oh for fuck sake… what am I supposed to do with _this_ one?" He nodded distastefully at Helia. He must have not been very intelligent if he instantly thought we were legit police.

"We're here to take her down the cells. The girls have headed towards the north of London." I tried to sound serious. Sofia and I agreed to tell them we were heading north, as we had to make our way to the London Eye - once we were out - and to tell them we had gone north would put them out of our tail.

"Don't you need handcuffs?" He asked.

"No." Sofia said, and I could tell she was using Charmspeak. He nodded, like this was fair enough, and then rushed out to chase after escapee prisoners that were, in fact, still in the prison. Helia got up, relieved.

"Holy Apollo, what…"

"Shh!" I hissed, and I made the notion of forcefully taking her out and taking her with us to the next room, where we found Lucas was basically having a breakdown. Alfie was in a massive argument with his - Sofia had to Charmspeak the DI into forgetting everything Alfie had said to him - and then, last but not least (especially for Sofia) was Dean, who was sitting in stony silence while the DS was trying to be the 'supportive' one.

Lucas handed me back my sword, and I blew it back into my hand, which instantly made me feel a lot safer. I also felt more comfortable now that we were back together. I went into the woman's toilets again and checked if anybody was in there. It happened to be empty, and we piled in.

"That," Lucas said hysterically, "was the most horrible thing I have ever done! _Even _Ladon!"

"They were asking me some… touchy questions." Helia sounded shaken.

"We need to focus on getting to Olympus now." I said firmly, looking in the mirror. It was over half an hour, and so my face was exactly back to normal… only dirty. Sofia and I had to get changed out of our police costumes, or else we would have 'impersonating a police officer' added to our list of crimes. I took the hat off, and my hair came tumbling out.

"You should be in an Herbal Essences advert, Scarley." Lucas managed to joke, and I ignored it. I was waiting for some comment about us in police uniforms, although I did wonder how he knew about Herbal Essences, when he lived at Camp Half-Blood. Sofia and I went into a cubicle and changed back into our sweaty, disgusting clothes, but it felt good to be back to 'me' again.

We had to be careful on our way out. There was a lot of pressing up against walls, rushing down corridors and even keeping to the floor, but, eventually, we managed to make it out. We ran down the steps and headed instantly to the nearest alley to avoid attention. I was sure that our face would be out there in the news, which hindered our progress.

At about half eight, we finally managed to make it to the London Eye. Thankfully, because of the time, it wasn't too crowded and there were no young children, although some tourists were queuing.

"So, we have to ask for a golden pass?" I asked.

"Yeah." Alfie answered. "The people who work here know about Olympus, it's fine."

Avoiding the mortals, I made my way to the front desk. It was evident that they knew about the world we were in as they didn't react to the six of us hooligans, knowing the truth. But they still took a lot of persuading.

"We're here to go to Olympus." I stated. The bloke considered me.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes you do!" I protested, but I wasn't sure. I looked at Alfie quizzically, but he wasn't fazed.

"Sorry, kids."

"We _need _an audience with Hera."

"_Queen _Hera." He couldn't help but correct. I looked at him smugly.

"Queen Hera, then."

"Look," he lowered his voice, "do you have an appointment?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Then I can't let you up."

"Please!" Helia chirped up. "You have to, it's so important."

"I'll get in massive trouble, missy."

"I'm Zeus' kid!" I exclaimed desperately, hating myself for playing that card but I was desperate, and I hoped it might work.

"I… I don't care." His voice faltered, and he looked at me slightly differently, and I hated that even more. I should have realised, really, that being someone's _child _gives you no rights as a demigod.

"We've had this quest…" Alfie started, and the man looked up – he was more alert now.

"An official quest?"

"Yes." I answered.

"Assigned by Chiron?"

"Yes."

"That changes things… could you please state your name, date of birth and first school… um, Zeus' kid?"

This confused me, but I did indeed give these details. He nodded, and checked through a computer system.

"Sorry, security reasons." He informed me. "I have to check and make sure nobody's impersonating you and is trying to get up on Olympus."

"You were informed we were coming, then?"

"Yes. Dionysus has to inform the staff here if demigods are on a quest, in case they need to go to Olympus. Here you are!"

He handed me a golden pass. "Go straight to the front of the queue. Show the pass to the staff that are around. There should be a black card holder on the side of the entrance on a pod. Put this in."

"Thank you." I said.

We were about to turn around and jump the queue when he called me back.

"Um, Miss Swan?"

I nearly didn't turn around, as that was always how people spoke to my mum, not me.

"I don't suppose you could… you know… give my name to your father, if you see him? Frank Stewart." He asked me when I finally realised he was talking to me and turned. I looked at him a bit oddly and he recoiled, although I wasn't sure why.

"Yeah." I said. "Sure."

And we headed straight for the London Eye. We got some funny looks as we made our way to the front of the queue, which was probably a mixture of 'what a state they are' to 'why the fuck are they pushing in'. Thankfully, they didn't seem to recognise us, which was a plus.

I showed a woman my pass. She smiled, and took us to the front of the queue, and everybody began to moan and complain about how unfair that was. The lady didn't listen to them and we got on the next pod. I made sure to put my pass in the slot… a slot I didn't even know was there until then.

It was nice that it was just the six of us in the pod; a nice break from other people, and it gave us a chance to sit down on the bench. Sofia sat down on Dean's lap, and Lucas laid down on the other side, but after about half a minute, Alfie, Helia and I got bored and we looked outside.

"London is pretty beautiful, sometimes." Alfie commented.

"Central, maybe." I scoffed. "Where Sofia and I came from wasn't exactly nice."

"I just think the mortal world is strange." Helia shrugged.

"You would." Alfie grinned at her.

The pod lurched to a start, and we - very slowly - raised up to the sky. Lucas, Sofia and Dean joined us, and we all looked at the wonderful view London had to offer.

"We've made it." Sofia sighed, looking relieved.

"After everything." Dean added.

I had a small sense of relief, too, but the quest wasn't over yet. We still had to get to Hera.

As soon as I thought it, the pod stopped. We were at the highest peak of the London Eye, and the door opened once again, which would have been a very dangerous thing, if a wide, golden pathway hadn't led out, right into the clouds. We took a deep breath and stepped out, walking in the sky to Olympus.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three - Mount Olympus

Once through the clouds, we found ourselves on a windy path that led to the city of Olympus and all the way up to the top of the mountain, where a massive palace stood tall and proud. It could only be Zeus and Hera's palace.

Eager to see Olympus, we rushed down the road - which had lush green countryside on either side. The further up we got, there were more smaller roads leading off, to some of the most beautiful mansions and villas I had ever seen, until we made it to the central Olympus.

It was sunset, so the market stalls were covered in white cloth - although a satyr was manning a barbecue where older demigods - as well as minor gods - were socialising. Nymphs carried around trays of champagne. There weren't many, but imagine a Michelin star restaurant. Olympian restaurants looked about three times better. There were about four in all, surrounding us, along with a twelve story hotel which looked as though it was the cleanest, poshest place to exist since the dawn of time itself. It probably was. The windows were large, and it seemed to be one of those places where you'd be scared to walk a couple of steps in without a strong sense of feeling out of place.

The nine muses played music in a little clearing inside the nearby park. The park looked nothing like Enfield Town's local park – there was no litter, or graffiti, but it did lack a play area. It was a square of perfectly cut, healthy green grass, with a path leading around and an apple tree in the centre, which was a replica of Hera's tree (we would know). A few benches were also dotted about, and there was no dodgy paintwork going on. They were all glossy brown.

As we walked further up the road, I began to notice temples, and I was able to decipher the Ancient Greek on them and realise that there was a temple for each of the Olympians. There was no order or pattern to these temples, but I noticed that the temple of Zeus and the temple of Hera were closest to the palace.

The gates to the home of my father were about eight metres tall, and were shiny black. Forget the hotel. Forget the restaurants. This palace looked almost _too _grand. The palace stretched out and rose high. It was white and windows dotted around all over it; some massive and some tiny. The gates opened for us and we stepped in cautiously.

The courtyard was entirely gravelled, and the gravel was all identical in shape, size and colour. Paving stones took us to the many steps leading up to the front doors. The path had a long arch over the top, and was completely covered in flowers. We rushed through as the sun began to set, making the sky a beautiful shade of orange. I knocked on the front doors, which were exactly the same as my ones in Cabin One, only a lot bigger. The doors opened, and I got to see the interior of my father's house (if you could call it a house) for the first time. However, I say that, but the ground floor was fairly boring. The entrance hall was massive, but the main part was the extravagant white marble stairs leading upwards, and a smaller narrower set of steps leading downwards - slightly out of the way. The main sets of doors were to the right of us, and the glass door next to the descending stair case lead to a ridiculous sized conservatory. There was also a door to the left.

"From what I've read," Alfie muttered, "The stairs going upwards leads to the main housing area. The downstairs is the kitchen and sleeping area for the serving nymphs, the door to the left leads to various other rooms that are used for balls and parties. But the room to the right… that's the Olympian throne room."

I looked around in amazement, before I took a deep breath, walked forwards, got my apple ready (which I had been keeping in Sofia's bag due to my lack of one) and opened the doors.

The throne room took up half of the entire ground floor and was magnificent. Twelve thrones took up a 'U' formation, just like the cabins at Camp Half-Blood, and the thrones looked as though they could fit a five metre person. Which was just as well, because Hera was sitting in the throne at the front and was five metres tall, and her throne was next to Zeus'. Both their thrones were up a few steps, to indicate that _those _thrones belonged to the king and queen of Olympus.

Hera looked down at us, and it was quite disconcerting whilst she was in her five metre form. We all bowed down to her, and I presented her the apple.

Hera was the first goddess I had met - and she was definitely beautiful, I'd accept that. She had warm, chocolate brown hair, which was braided over her shoulder and it shined like hair did on those adverts (but you never thought looked realistic). She wore a simple white dress, which was short sleeved and V-necked. Her eyes were brown and slightly intimidating, but I wasn't too fazed by them. She looked like an average mother… but a mother who was quite angry.

"Lady Hera," I announced, like I'd been rehearsing in my head for days, "I present you this apple."

"Yes." She sneered slightly. "I can see that. If you had come any later, Scarlet-Rose Swan, I would have been in bed. Better late than never, I suppose."

She indicated I pass her the apple, and I did so. She bit into it and ate a bite. She shrugged like it tasted perfectly average.

"Well." It was plainly obvious by the way she looked at me that she hated my guts. "You did okay. I do not like you, Scarlet-Rose Swan. Let that be known."

"It's known." I was slightly annoyed at that. Okay, so she was a bitter wife. I actually didn't blame her for being angry that Zeus cheated on her with my mum… producing me. But, I mean, it wasn't _my _fault. I didn't _ask _for Zeus to do that.

"Oh, yes." I could hear a rant coming along. "He almost thinks he can hide it from me. I turned his last illegitimate child into a rat… this must have been back in 1769, back when the flame was in Germany. And as soon as the Great Prophecy was made, he _promised _me that he wouldn't have another mortal affair. And he did very well in covering his affair with your… ah, _mother_…up. I only found out when he claimed you. The nerve of him. I brought the sphinx back from Tartarus, knowing that it would want to kill you in revenge. The Furies did not know this; they believed that it was Hades who sent them to kill you, but it was in fact _I _who asked Hades to send his Furies after you, as a sign of my hatred towards my husband's affair."

"Well, it's not my fault." I half snapped, angry at how some of the biggest difficulties of the quest were _this woman's _fault, but I was also highly aware that this was the queen of the gods. Hera didn'tkill me, but she looked as though she wanted to. Her look of loathing told me that she didn't care about the logistics. She wanted to blame me, end of.

"As much as I hate you, Scarlet-Rose, I will make a deal with you." As she said this, I was reminded of the line of the prophecy. _Present it to Hera and seal a deal_. "I do not trust you, but I am the goddess of marriage and family. To keep this family whole, I will keep you alive, but you must _not _cause our family any trouble, or else I will kill you. In a heartbeat."

I was then reminded of the third line of the prophecy – _But you fail to gain what you set out to achieve._ This must have been what it meant. I failed to gain Hera's trust, despite the quest, but I _did _make a deal with her - a deal that kept me alive. Hera gave me one last look of loathing before she turned to Sofia.

"Sofia Moretti, you should be exceedingly proud." She smiled and Sofia looked slightly alarmed, while also embarrassed. "You deemed yourself the underdog, but you proved yourself to have great power. Aphrodite has been very vocal about her pride for your role in the quest. But be warned, Sofia. Your ability to love deeply will bring you many consequences that you couldn't even begin to imagine."

Sofia looked nervous at this, glancing at Dean. She also looked ecstatic that her mother was proud of her. Hera also turned to Dean, and he looked slightly gormless.

"Dean Crown," She even smiled at him, "you are similar to Sofia in how you doubt your power, but heed this. Your mother is one of Kronos' six children… like myself, and like Zeus. You will come to realise just how great this power is, but at the very wrong time."

Dean looked pretty happy about this, but I could see that he was also quite unnerved.

"Helia Underwood. You have lived this life a long time, but there will come a day - sooner than you think - that you will be faced with a crossroads, and I know that you too feel this coming. But do not fear; you will choose the correct path."

I was utterly confused as to what Hera meant, but Helia seemed to have a rough idea and she wouldn't meet anyone in the eye.

"Alfie Harper. You have a major part in what is to unfold, but in a way that, right now, you won't have even considered. Athena has always been there, but you have to go through the next stage of your life alone."

Alfie looked baffled, and his stormy grey eyes seemed to contain a billion thoughts at once. Finally, Hera turned to Lucas.

"Lucas Crop. You have always been the protector, and you have never taken yourself seriously, but this will change. A day will come where your _own _feelings will need to come first, but do not fear that day. It will not make you any less of a protector."

Lucas - true to character - looked at us all with a jokily bemused expression, but I sensed an unease about him.

"Lady Hera," Alfie bowed, "may I ask… how you know this?"

Hera smiled. "I make it my business to know about my family. Oh, and Scarlet." Hera turned to me distastefully. "You have a destiny that has been foretold by the Fates. You don't know what this Great Prophecy is, but when you do, I suggest you think of Olympus rather than yourself… unlike many of your siblings throughout the centuries."

I looked affronted, but said nothing. Hera clicked her fingers, and I suddenly felt a thousand times better. My hair no longer felt greasy and dirty, and wasn't even knotty for once. My skin felt clean and my clothes felt newly laundered. It was one of the best feelings I'd ever felt. The same had happened to the others.

"I will arrange for you to stay in the hotel for the night." Hera was speaking motherly again, but I noticed she was purposely trying to avoid looking at me as she was doing so. "And then tomorrow, a taxi will pick you up from the London Eye to take you back to Camp Half-Blood at one o'clock."

I had to ask her something before I left. "Lady Hera?"

Hera, seeming to stick to her side of the deal, tilted her head to the side and tried to force some pleasantries. "Yes?"

"Um… just out of curiosity… where is Zeus?"

Hera considered me. "Your father is upstairs in his study, working." I could tell that she knew the effect this would have on me. My father was in the same building as me but couldn't be bothered to come down and see me? I had to leave. We bowed and thanked Hera - although I didn't want to at all - and I was the first one out of the palace by far. Once I was past the eight metre gates I began to feel better, and I waited for the other five to catch up with me.

They were all astonished at what Hera had been telling them, and that was another thing that annoyed me. They all got an inspirational talk - and a glimpse into what is to come - but what did I get? I got told that she hated me, and then told not fuck up the thing when the Great Prophecy comes. Which was hardly an insight, as I already _knew _I was in the Great Prophecy.

"Consequences…" Sofia was muttering. "But…"

"Relax, Sofia." I said to her. "Just think of the part where Aphrodite is proud of you."

"Yeah, true." Sofia smiled contentedly.

"I play a great role that I couldn't possibly imagine right now." Alfie sounded annoyed. "Why couldn't I? I'm a thinker; it's probably already crossed my mind."

"Oh really?" Helia teased.

"I'm going to show great power!" Dean announced dramatically.

"At the _very _wrong time."

"Shut up, Helia."

"She didn't like Scarlet, did she?" Lucas laughed and the others joined in, but when I glared at them they soon stopped.

We were just approaching the centre of the city and the barbecue celebration was still taking place. It was only made more atmospheric by the now pitch black sky. Just as we were about to enter our hotel, a couple demigods in their twenties came over and were instantly recognised by Helia, and even Alfie. One of them was a small woman (still taller than me), with – obviously dyed – shoulder length lilac hair. Her eyes were bright green and she had a familiar look on her face… the arched eyebrows and upturned nose. The boy was lean and tall - where the girl was small and petite - and he was _very _good looking, with blonde wavy hair and hazel coloured eyes.

"Helia Underwood!" the woman gasped.

"Katia Brook? And Greg Simpson?" Helia exclaimed. The woman, Katia, instantly hugged Helia.

"Oh my gods, I remember when you were a little seven year old. And Alfie! You were ten when I left camp!"

"Yeah, well." Alfie shrugged awkwardly. Lucas seemed to know who these two were, but they didn't know him. Sofia, Dean and I - as usual - stood there clueless. Helia turned to us and grinned.

"Katia, Greg, this is Scarlet Swan, Sofia Moretti and Dean Crown."

"Pleased to meet you." Greg said formally, shaking our hands, and Sofia and I looked at each other in contained excitement at his looks (which may have been slightly pathetic). "I'm Greg, son of Aphrodite."

I looked over at Sofia, extremely amused that she'd been having a minor crush on her _brother_. She looked positively shocked.

Katia then introduced herself as a daughter of Hermes and she proceeded over to hug Alfie.

"How's Cabin Six?"

"Good, I'm head counsellor now."

"Really? But Greg – Fiennes, that is - only just became it!"

"Greg stopped being a year rounder, so I was the eldest candidate."

"Fair enough… is Amber still Cabin Elevens?"

"Yeah." I answered.

They turned to us and asked us about what cabin we belonged to. Greg grinned when Sofia told her cabin, and then Dean said his. When I said Cabin One they both looked at each other in amazement.

"Oh my gods." Katia gasped. "The prophecy!"

"Yeah, yeah." I half grimaced, half smiled.

Katia and Greg looked at each other again.

"Hey," Greg said decidedly, "come and join in the barbecue."

"We really shouldn't…" Alfie muttered, but Katia and Greg had already started leading us away.

"They're married." Sofia whispered to me. I looked at her incredulously. "I'm able to identify the bond that binds them."

"Another Aphrodite thing?"

"Yep." Greg turned around and Sofia looked worried, but he grinned. "Relax… um, sis. I have the same ability and I know that _you _and a son of Demeter are currently in a relationship."

Sofia blushed and looked down and Dean looked at her, amused. After her gossiping about Greg, she had that one coming.

"When did you get married?" Sofia finally asked.

"We left camp four years ago - when we were twenty two - and we married up here. Hermes even showed up to walk Kats down the aisle. We had been saving drachmas to get a place and have been here ever since."

We picked up some plates and headed over to the barbecue, where a satyr put some chicken on our plate, and it looked so good. I realised then how hungry I was and I ate the chicken pretty quickly, and soon got another. Sofia was now in deep conversation with her brother, which Dean kept glancing nervously at, and Katia was talking to Helia and Alfie. Dean, Lucas and I huddled a little bit away.

"What's he talking to her about?" Dean asked anxiously.

"Dean," I hissed, "he's her brother, and a son of Aphrodite. He isn't going to take her away from you, gods forbid, and he isn't going to try and break you up. Calm the fuck down."

"These nymphs are looking good." Lucas appraised a nymph carrying a tray of champagne - who stopped and looked over, smiling. She had slightly green tinged skin and auburn hair with blue eyes. She wore a green dress. She held out the tray for us, and just before I was going to take one (why not?), thunder boomed the sky and I got the warning pretty clear. This nearly made me want to take it more – Zeus managed to make time to stop me drinking but not save my life, get me out of _prison_, or even come and see me, or listen to me. I scowled.

* * *

The rest of the evening I was a lot more relaxed, however. I ended up chatting with a couple more demigods - who were both twin daughters of Athena, which I could tell instantly by the cold, mistrustful, stormy grey eyes, but they both spoke quite civilly with me.

I even spoke to a boy who wasn't a demigod… but was. He was the son of _two _demigods – a daughter of Ares and a son of Hephaestus. He was a rarity in this world, but was hunted just as much as demigods were. He was quite cool to talk to, but the best part of my night had to have been dancing with a god. Not an Olympian, gods no, but Asclepius - the god of medicine. He looked like a typical medical student, and had sandy blonde hair and faded green eyes that were covered by designer glasses, and wore a white tunic - like all the demigods and minor gods seemed to be wearing. He must have been about twenty and so him dancing with me was a shock, but I wasn't complaining. Not at all.

At about eleven, I found my friends again, and we were all agreed that we should probably go to the hotel and get some sleep. We were very tired from the day we'd had, and we wondered whether Hera would get annoyed if we didn't go to the hotel she'd 'kindly' booked for us. I didn't care either way, but the others seemed concerned about this and so we said goodbye to Katia and Greg – him and Sofia promising to keep in touch – and then we proceeded to our hotel.

The entrance was a revolving door, which Lucas and Helia were overly amused by, and we entered the glamorous lobby, where two satyr bellhops welcomed us. The floor was glossy brown and a red carpet led to the front desk. Dark green plants surrounded the place and there was even a great big fountain. By the desk was a statue similar to mine in Cabin One, and so it had to be my father. This ruined the otherwise breathtaking place for me, as I stepped up to the desk.

The nymph seemed surprised that young teenage demigods were here and she was probably waiting to chuck us out. I announced to her that Hera had paid for us to stay and then she smiled in recognition, and gave us all a golden key each, saying that we had rooms on the tenth floor.

We nearly got lost trying to find the lift, or staircase. We followed the deep red carpets around some corridors, where we passed an entire glass wall looking into a swimming pool and Jacuzzi area. The water was the deepest blue, and the tiles on the floor were actually clean and glistening white. We passed a spa area, a gym and a bar restaurant - where three meals a day were served - and it had oak tables, wooden floor. The tables had millions of sets of cutlery for different purposes – starters, mains, etc.

The lift was surrounded by mirrors - which was a bit unnerving - but it was nice to see that we no longer looked like homeless tramps. I found out that the eleventh and twelfth floors both contained suites, so we were the top floor for single rooms.

My door number was 1011, and the room was spectacular. It contained a king sized bed with white silk sheets, and red carpet on the floor. There was a chest of drawers for people staying long term, and a bowl of glorious fruit on the top. The window - which was wide and glistening - looked out to the entire Olympus. I could see Zeus' palace at the top and I looked down to see the party still raging. I drew the thin white curtains, and looked around some more.

On both sides of the bed were bedside tables - each with a red lamp on -and I looked up to find that a huge chandelier hung down. The ensuite bathroom had a spacious white bath, toilet and sink, and another door led into a wet room. Feeling exhausted, I merely picked up the new toothbrush that had been placed in there for me, brushed my teeth and jumped into bed. The bed felt like heaven… which might have been because that was where I was. I wasn't sure whether it was an exceptional bed, or whether I had just gotten used to sleeping rough the last week or so, but I shut my eyes and fell asleep instantly.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four - Lightning Strikes

I woke up bright early the following day. Sun streamed through the curtains of my hotel room and I rolled over in the king sized bed and checked the time - on an alarm clock on one of the bedside tables. Eight o'clock.

I had already planned the night before to have a shower in the morning, and the wet room exceeded my expectations. I used the hotel's shampoo, conditioner and shower gel and it felt good to live like a normal person again. I didn't even need to shower - Hera had cleaned us up - but aside from my intense fear of water, I missed the idea that I would step out the shower and be ten times cleaner.

There were fluffy grey towels piled up, so I picked up the top one and begun to get ready for breakfast, by drying myself and then my hair - which was a long, tedious task. I figured that I couldn't go down with soaking wet hair, or else I would have just left it. We hadn't arranged a time to meet, but I figured that even if I was alone, my friends would come soon enough; especially as the taxi was at one.

When I was ready, I left the room. Whenever I stayed in hotels (which were much less fancy than this place, even by mortal standards) with Mum and Harry, we always had the mad rush on our last day to make sure we didn't forget anything, but I had nothing to remember since losing possessions. I simply locked the door and headed downstairs to the restaurant bar for breakfast.

Once in there, I sat down on a table that looked big enough for six. It was by a wall - which was entirely glass - and I realised that the hotel had acres of land outside with an outdoor pool, golf course and even a maze.

The place wasn't exactly packed. There was a young couple sitting opposite each other, and then an old man, who must have been a minor god. A seven year old girl was sitting alone - which I thought was odd - but the way the nymphs treated her; she must have been important. She had the face of someone far older.

Also sitting around was an official looking business woman and I wondered who on earth she could be. Before I had time to consider this, a nymph approached me.

"Hello," she said, in a clear, polite tone, "are you ready to order from our 6 till 10 breakfast service?"

"Oh!" I had completely forgot to check the menu. "Could I have two more minutes, please?"

"That's fine." She smiled and disappeared off. I didn't need too long to check the menu; it was in Ancient Greek and what I wanted stood out straight away – the Olympian English. So when the nymph came back I told her. She looked at me curiously.

"May I ask," She questioned, "no mean to be rude, but how you're going to pay for this?"

"Lady Hera has paid for me and my friends to stay here." I informed her.

"What's your name?"

"Scarlet Swan… or Scarlet-Rose Swan."

The nymph rushed off to check something. I imagined she must have not believed me when I said that the bill was on the queen of the gods - which I was fine with - until she came back looking a bit awkward.

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, but the queen of Olympus has only paid for the hotel rooms."

Oh, classic Hera; embarrass me in front of the entire restaurant and make me have to admit that I couldn't afford it. Just as I was about to tell the nymph - something I really didn't feel comfortable with - a man walked up to us. I had no idea who it was, but the nymph looked up and gasped.

The man was very tall and middle-aged, but that didn't negate the handsomeness. He had long, dark grey hair, and a black neat beard. He wore a pinstriped suit with a navy tie and white shirt. But it was his eyes that really struck with me. They were eyes that were very familiar… rainy grey eyes. They were the eyes I saw only less than an hour ago when I looked in the mirror, and the meaning of them made me feel like being sick right there.

"L…Lord Zeus?" The nymph gasped, and it was this confirmation that caused me to nearly collapse on the spot. I couldn't look at him; I just stared down at the table.

"Put the girl's meal on my tab." Zeus told the nymph. She nodded earnestly.

"Wh… what was it you wanted…Miss Swan?" She looked close to bowing to me as well, which made me angry enough to look up and reply.

"The Olympian English." I told her. She nodded, and then scarpered away. Zeus sat in front of me.

"Of all the meals on the menu, you choose the most expensive." I couldn't really tell whether he was annoyed, angry, amused or merely commenting, so I just shrugged. "Whatever country we're in, we take on their breakfast as one of the meals. Olympian English is one of the nicer ones."

"Oh." I didn't know what to feel. I'd been angry at my father and always planned what I would shout if I saw him, but now - for the first time - he was sitting right in front of me paying for breakfast. When I was younger, I'd actually always imagined a very similar scene to what was happening – Daddy rocking up and taking me on holiday. Of course, I was very young then, and resentment soon became the primary feeling as I got older. Being near him reminded me of Mum, and I could imagine her glaring at me to say thank you like a good polite girl.

"Thanks." I grumbled. "You know… for paying." I didn't really feel thankful; I thought that after nearly fourteen years of absence, the least he owed me was breakfast. I got the feeling he sensed this and he regarded me carefully.

"I believe you spoke to your stepmother yesterday…" He started.

"Yeah, you were upstairs." I couldn't help but interrupt. I believe I was testing his patience slightly and he paused before continuing.

"Yes. I must say I am quite surprised. Usually she kills my illegitimate children… and their mothers."

"She had better not touch my mother." I snapped. I thought Zeus was summon his lightning bolt and kill me there and then… or ground me… but he just sighed.

"Oh, she won't hurt Rosemary. She was a wonderful woman."

"Is." I corrected.

Zeus decided it was time to comment on my bad mood.

"Scarlet-Rose, why are you being difficult?" He narrowed his eyes at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Why am I being difficult? How unreasonable of me, after nearly fourteen years of no contact while I had to fend off monsters, get kicked from school to school, get put on medication… while you swanned up here on Olympus."

"I believe Hermes has already…" Zeus started to speak, rather stiffly, but I was on a roll.

"Yes, Hermes told me that all Olympian parents could do is listen out and watch over their children. But you didn't even do _that._ We were plummeting from the sky and I _screamed _for you to help us, and nothing."

Zeus glared at me and I could see why my friends recoiled whenever I glared at _them_, but I held my ground. Eventually, Zeus answered.

"I sent the eagles."

"What?" I snapped. "No you didn't!"

"Yes, I did." Zeus protested. "I told them to help you, and I gave you immense power. I left Astrapes kai Brontes in your possession… what more do you want?"

"A present father maybe? And no fucking way did you send those eagles, they told me they came of their own accord."

"They were lying, Scarlet. They are proud beings, and hate that I have the power to tell them what to do. And I am an Olympian, not a mortal. I simply _cannot _be a present father. That is not the way. Hermes told you this, I believe?"

"He did, yes. He also told me _you _decided that. Why? What good is it doing? And okay, maybe you helped us then, but why didn't you help when I nearly crash landed to my death?"

Zeus sighed, and he seemed to look pretty unsure as to handle this situation with his daughter - evidently very out of practice.

"Look, Scarlet." He paused as the nymph put my plate of food on the table, and I thanked her. "Listen, the fact is that I, and the other Olympians, are powerful. If we interfered every time our mortal children needed help, it could in the long run ruin them. There is nothing worse, child, than a mortal walking around believing they are invincible. That can be a dangerous thing. For a demigod to grow they have to face struggles and setbacks… far more than a regular human, and it's this struggle that makes you stronger and wiser."

"But what if we are about to die, like we were when the chariot broke!" I carried on, although he had a compelling argument.

"Scarlet, you didn't _need_ me. You survived without me. I wanted to encourage that. But do not think I don't watch over you. I was most tempted to intervene when you had that teacher in Year 2. Awful woman. Was about to have her killed, but Athena talked sensed into me."

"She was a bit of a cow, yeah." And for the first time since he sat down, he smiled slightly.

"About this prophecy…" He started, but I became angry again and stared at him in disbelief.

"Is that all you came here to talk about?" I demanded.

"No, no!" He raised his hands in defence. "No. But, Scarlet… um, I _am _proud of you. The quest you undertook was no easy feat. You are my daughter. There is no denying that."

My anger subsided and instead I felt embarrassed, and also touched. I observed my father - and I didn't know _how _Zeus felt about me - but he was proud to say that I was his daughter… the first to steal an Apple of Immortality since Heracles. I wasn't sure how we were going to move on from this, but I think I felt better about him. _Some _progress had been made.

"Eat your breakfast before it goes cold." He told me. "It cost me eighty drachmas."

"_Eighty drachmas? _For a fry up?"

"We are on Olympus, girl. And I expect you will want me to put money on my tab for your friends as well."

"Not _expect_… would be nice… you know, after not being around all these years." I didn't think there was much chance of me letting it go and Zeus seemed to realise that. He stood and I looked up at him; not sure whether to feel relief or dismay at him leaving.

"Well. I must be off."

"Bye… and thanks." I added awkwardly.

"Remember what I said." He looked at me seriously, and was about to walk away when he apparently remembered something. "Oh yes, and Scarlet, the whole issue with you and the mortal police… that has been rectified. They have forgotten everything and so you are no longer in trouble with the law. I believe Chiron sorted that out for you."

He then left the hotel for me to get on with my breakfast - still getting over the fact that I had met my father and musing over what he had told me. I wanted to believe him and his logic, but it was going to be difficult for that to take over from all the anger and resentment I had been feeling. But it was coming. I knew that.

* * *

"I still can't believe _Zeus _came and visited you!" Sofia exclaimed. We were sitting in a taxi - a taxi with six seats in the back - and driving through London.

"Well, he is her father." Alfie pointed out.

"Yes, but it's rare for the gods to visit their children." Helia casually added, but I sensed there was some resentment there too. The fact that she presented had also crossed my mind, and even though Zeus was adamant that he didn't just care about the prophecy (which I sort of believed) I had a feeling it was an inclination for him to show up. Plus, after everything I'd done to appease his wife just because he couldn't keep it in… I think he _had _to show up, really.

I had told them all about the conversation I had with him…and the part about demigods needing to face their own struggles to become a better person. It was seemingly thought provoking. Not for Lucas, though. I guess it didn't apply to him.

"We survived this, then." Dean informed us happily, but that reminded me of how a line of the prophecy still hadn't been fulfilled.

"Yes, well, we still have about half an hour to get back to camp." I muttered.

"How cheerful." Lucas rolled his eyes.

"No, I meant that… well, one of us was prophesised to die."

"I've been thinking about that too." Alfie agreed. "It's very odd."

"But let's go with it!" Helia cried. "Nobody died, that's a good thing!"

"You're right." Sofia nodded. "This is great, guys!"

"Maybe it meant how we nearly lost Sofia, or Scarlet." Alfie continued to muse.

"That's true." Dean added thoughtfully.

"Seriously," Helia intercepted again, "let's just completely forget about it. They were wrong. I think, personally, that Sofia would have died, but I saved her. Nobody prophesised that I could do that, and so, nobody will die!"

There was a murmur of agreement throughout the cab at this, and I tried to do as she suggested. There was no point thinking deeply into the matter. As demigods, we had to make the most of _living_. And being as we were living, I supposed that we should just appreciate that.

As we veered off onto the M25, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief and contentedness. Once I stepped into camp again, I would no longer be quest leader and on the lookout for monsters, risking my life at all times. Things would be safe - and even enjoyable - once more. Well… as safe as things were at Camp Half-Blood.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five - Home At Last

We got to camp at half past two. Third lesson had just ended and so we were instantly run up to by all the campers - which was a _lot _of campers. Alfie was approached by his cabin, looking as serious as ever but relieved that their brother and head counsellor was safe. Cabin Seven went to Helia - of course - and Cabins Four and Ten went to Sofia and Dean. Satyrs rushed to Lucas, and he told them of the tragedy that was the loss of his reed pipes.

Amber came up to me and I felt a rush of affection. I hadn't realised how much I missed the daughter of Hermes, and quickly hugged her.

"Thank you." I told her. "For the prayer. Your father gave us this flying chariot… so thank you."

She grinned at me. "I'm just pleased to know you're safe, kid."

"Heroes!" Chiron called, and we all looked down Half-Blood Hill to look at him. It must have been one hell of a sight - all of us standing on the hill. "Fourth lesson will be terminated. It is time for the burning of the shrouds!"

"What's _that?_" I asked Amber, and she merely winked at me before her, some Cabin Eleven, Athena and Apollo campers lifted me up. My friends all got their siblings - or satyrs in Lucas' case - and we were carried down to the amphitheatre, where the bonfire blazed high and strong; a bright shade of red. The five of us demigods were parked down, while the rest of camp sat around on the rising seats. Chiron joined us and he was smiling brightly.

"Congratulations." He told us sincerely, before I received an unexpected hug from the old centaur. "I told you so."

"Thanks. And shut up." I grinned, as he turned to check on Helia. The campers were all settled, and so the shroud burning began.

Firstly, my shroud was carried out by the Hermes cabin. They had done it quite well; it was navy blue and tightly knitted, with an eagle on the front. They lifted it up.

"Scarlet-Rose Swan, Daughter of Zeus and quest leader, first hero since Heracles to steal an Apple of Immortality!" Chiron boomed loudly

Everybody cheered as some of the Hermes campers put my shroud in the fire.

"Why are they doing that?" I asked.

"If you die," Helia explained, "they wrap it over you and burn it. The burning of it _without _you just celebrates you being alive."

I nodded and looked around. Not everybody was cheering at my survival… Kieran and the Ares campers seemed pretty pissed off, but that didn't bother me.

"Helia Underwood, Daughter of Apollo!" Chiron announced, and some of Helia's siblings ran over, with a shroud of pure gold material. We cheered her survival, before the Athena campers made their way to us.

"Alfie Harper, Son of Athena!" Alfie's shroud was brilliant; grey silk with an embroidered owl on the front. Dean's was also pretty – plain blue, with grass woven in, and Sofia's was pink and silky - and stunk of perfume, which I worried would do havoc with the fire.

"As you know," Chiron shouted again, once Sofia's cheers had died down, "head counsellors are picked by how long they've spent at camp, or by how many quests they have undertaken. By this rule, I decree that Sofia Moretti and Dean Crown are now head counsellors for their respective cabins!"

The campers all cheered again, as Sofia looked apologetically at Alexandra - who seemed perfectly fine with the arrangement - whilst Dean looked pretty happy - and Rebecca annoyed. We were told to sit down, for Mr D to make his speech. His was one face I certainly _didn't _miss.

"Yes, they survived." Mr D sounded unimpressed. "What a joy. In other news, due to the head counsellors of the Zeus and Athena cabins returning - our current Capture the Flag team captains - the game will be continuing on Friday. To _other _head counsellors, who have been covering Cabin One, Six and Seven's morning chores, the rota is now back to normal. Wonderful. Now let's eat."

"Eat?" Dean asked, confused, as campers began to stand again and make their way to the dining pavilion. "Dinner isn't until ages!"

"This is the feast. They present us with laurels." Helia grinned and we proceeded to follow.

Even though I'd had a brilliant breakfast that morning - made ever so sweeter by the fact it was paid for by my father - I had been looking forward to a good camp meal. I was no longer bitter about being on my own… much… and sat comfortably down in the centre of the pavilion. I _did _forget how strange it was the tables on either side of me (2 and 3) had no campers, so I was pretty much marooned on my own, but once the nymphs started handing out barbecue, I soon forgot that, and was able to proudly throw in the brazier a slice of pizza for Zeus.

Once we had finished, Chiron called the six of us (this time Lucas was allowed to be involved) and placed Ancient Greek laurel wreaths on our heads, something which I knew I'd treasure for the rest of my life. Lucas' looked a bit odd - as it just fitted around his horns - but we were all beaming.

And just when I thought the celebrations had ceased - and I was planning to go to my cabin for the first time in nine days - we were all taken down to the beach for a party… which Mr D avoided. He complained of a headache and went back to the Big House.

It was the beach where everybody wanted us to tell them the story of our quest, but none of us wanted to. We weren't quite ready to relive it. Not just yet. Although another topic of conversation was rife, and that was Capture the Flag on Friday, and this time…_ I _was captain, and against Alfie. That alone was enough to make me want to win.

"You are going to lose, big time." I threatened. He just scoffed at that. Once I'd gotten myself a drink, I rushed over to Amber and she happily agreed to be on my blue team. I headed to Sofia and Dean, who were also more than willing. Helia had already liaised with Alfie, so I'd be against her too. Zeus and Athena cabins were Kieran's least favourite and I didn't particularly _want _him on my team, but I figured that, if I couldn't have the war goddess' cabin on my team, I should probably have the war god's. It took him a while to agree, and even though we still wanted to kill each other, I agreed to do his morning chores for him. Kieran and I had made a deal - and so he gladly agreed to be on my team. I couldn't help but groan, however, when he told me with glee that on Wednesdays he was supposed to sort Chiron's messages. I was feeling pretty pleased until then that I had no chores to do in the morning. But oh well. If I wanted to beat Owl Face, sacrifices must be made.

Also on side were the Hephaestus cabin. I remembered the Greek Fire from the last game and how we wouldn't have even known about it if I couldn't of flown, so I hoped that, with me on their team - and if they could sort out a trap just as concealable - it might work.

I realised that I soon had pretty much every cabin on side, other than Athena, Apollo and Dionysus, but I didn't let that make me feel more confident. Alfie was a terrific planner, and Helia had the second biggest cabin in Camp Half-Blood, and they were all trained archers, which could be concerning. The Dionysus cabin didn't concern me after their performance in the last game…but they were under Kieran's rule then. With Alfie, they could be more dangerous.

I had just finished talking to Adam from Hephaestus - who was a lot nicer when you weren't fighting him - when I saw Amber with her two siblings by the sea. I then remembered what I found out during the quest. So I headed over in their direction – to ask her about it - and when she saw me coming she left her siblings and joined me.

"You sorted out your team now?" She asked me and when I told her yes, she nodded.

"But, Amber," I couldn't help but grin, "I've heard about your end of summer pranks."

"Well, you're just going to have to wait and see about that."

I laughed, and then heard Lucas shouting at me to get my fat arse back to them and I looked at Amber apologetically.

"Go and see your friends." She told me, and I left her be. I got back to our spot on the beach and my five best friends cheered.

"What are you doing?" I asked suspiciously.

"We're cheering our successful quest leader!" Helia informed me brightly. I looked down disbelievingly, before turning back to Sofia and Dean.

"Hey, congratulations on the head counsellor thing." I told them.

"I can't lead to save my life!" Sofia cried, and we all groaned. We _did not _need a repeat of this. "Oh… yeah, I'm sorry. But I have to do Cabin Inspection tomorrow."

"I have to sort Chiron's messages out as well."

"No you don't." Alfie frowned. "You're next chore is on Thursday; Cabin Inspection. Kieran's supposed to be doing that tomorrow."

I couldn't believe Alfie had actually memorised the chore timetable, but I told them of how I agreed to do a week of Kieran's chores, all in aid of Capture the Flag.

"You actually want Kieran on your team?" Dean shook his head.

"I still want to kill him, but for the game purposes, he will be good." I shrugged.

Before anyone else could say anything, Chiron approached us.

"Scarlet, if you don't mind, we _do _need to talk about the outcome of your quest."

"It's cool." I jumped up. "Guys, I'll be back in a bit."

Chiron and I roamed around the empty camp – as everybody was at the beach – and I reluctantly told him all that had happened after we stopped Iris-messaging in Bristol. He listened intently, and was relieved when I told him that Hera wasn't going to kill me. He couldn't help but ask questions about his previous campers - Katia and Greg - and he regarded me sadly as I told him about Zeus' visit.

"But, all in all," he told me brightly, "your quest _was _a success."

"It was…" I agreed uneasily. "But, Chiron, something doesn't make sense."

"Carry on, child."

"Well, a line in the prophecy never happened. I mean… 'You shall get what you set out to steal' was obviously the apple. 'Present it to Hera and seal a deal' was the deal we made on Olympus that if I don't cause trouble she'll leave me alone. 'But you fail to gain what you set out to achieve' was that Hera still doesn't trust me, nor like me, but then there's the last line. 'And you will be granted a reason to grieve'… well nobody died. And then there was all the warnings we had on the quest of approaching death. Yet it never happened."

It was Chiron's turn to look uneasy now; his tail flicked nervously. "Scarlet, my dear, prophecies often have double meanings. Do not dwell on this, the prophesised 'death' may not have meant that at all, and what it was instead may have already happened without you realising. I remember Eliza's tale, and it is a very sad one, but she's been rambling about death since she became in that condition. Try not to think of it."

I noticed how he desperately wanted me to forget about what I'd heard and I regarded him carefully, faltering to a stop by the forges.

"Chiron… this has something to do with the Great Prophecy, doesn't it?"

Chiron looked at me, and I could see in his eyes I was right, and he realised this so didn't try to protect me with lies.

"Scarlet, you don't even need to think about this prophecy until you're nineteen. That's over five years away. During that time, I am going to train you as much as I can, and as there are no quests for you to undertake, you can stay here at camp and train. We'll worry about it this time in five years when your nineteenth birthday will be a couple of weeks away, but you have a very long time until then."

"That's if I choose to stay year round…" I grumbled and by the look on Chiron's face I knew that's exactly what he wanted me to do. "Chiron, the way you're acting… is the prophesised death _me?_"

Chiron was ashen faced, but he shook his head. "I do not wish to answer that. As I told you earlier, prophecies are uncertain, and often have double meanings, so I'm not going to tell you an answer when it could turn out I'm very wrong."

I thought about this, and then had another question to ask. "My mum… do you know if she's okay? And Harry?"

Chiron smiled; relieved that I had changed the subject. "I believe they are fine, yes. I informed your mother of your quest shortly after you left, and she has been highly anxious. Especially when you hit the headlines yesterday… I managed to manipulate the Mist and make the authorities and the mortal world forget all about you, but your mother knew the truth and so she still remembers. She was terrified, but when I told her that I'd been informed of you staying on Olympus, she relaxed slightly."

I started to miss my mum greatly. I never thought she'd be that concerned about me on the quest, and it made my decision whether to stay year round or be a summer camper that much harder.

"And Harry?" I asked.

"Well… let's just say your brother knows more than he did when you left…"

"He knows I'm a demigod?" I gasped, and Chiron laughed.

"It's not as uncommon as you think. I know you were trying to protect him by concealing the truth, but from what I could gather, he's taken the truth brilliantly. He now realises _why _you've been so difficult all your life. He even asked if _his _disappearing father was a god."

I shook my head vigorously. "I remember Peter, probably more than Harry does. He was no god."

Chiron laughed again, and told me I should get back to the beach. Just as I was about to part from him, he called me back.

"Oh, and Scarlet." I turned. "You did well. You did as I advised."

"Which was?" I grimaced as I tried to remember.

"You didn't do it alone. The fact that all six of you arrived back tells me that you listened to me and accepted the help of your friends. You were a true leader, but you didn't go solo. You led a _team_, not just yourself."

"Oh…" I remembered this now. "I guess so. Didn't as much at the beginning, though." I thought back to the first day, where I hardly spoke to anyone, and just led the quest, getting annoyed when people like Alfie imputed.

"But you learnt to." Chiron smiled, and then galloped off, leaving me to head back to my friends. Sofia and Dean were kissing, a little away from the rest of us, and Alfie, Lucas and Helia were laughing at some joke.

"What did Chiron want?" Lucas asked me.

"He just wanted to know about the quest."

"Took you pretty long." Helia commented.

"Yes, well…" The three of them seemed to guess what else we were talking about but said nothing.

"Scarlet, are you going home at the end of summer?" Helia asked.

"I don't know, Helia." I groaned. "I'm just going to enjoy the rest of summer. My birthday's on the nineteenth of August, near the end of summer. I'll start worrying once I'm fourteen."

"Those two are going, aren't they?" Alfie jerked his head towards Sofia and Dean.

"Wouldn't it be strange for you to stay here, if Sofia was gone? Wouldn't you be worrying about her _all the time?_" Lucas grinned at me.

"Nah." I looked at Sofia, and smiled slightly. "She can look after herself. She'd be fine."


	26. Chapter Twenty Six - Eagle v Owl

I woke up the next morning, and at first had a panic. But then I remembered I was in Cabin One - no longer leading a dangerous quest - and relaxed. I wondered how long it would take for me to get used to this safety again. I checked the time, and realised I was running slightly late for breakfast. Thankfully, I had more time than the other head counsellors to get ready, with no cabin to lead.

Talking of cabins to lead, on the way to breakfast I saw Sofia and Dean leading _their_ cabins, and I grinned. Sofia looked pretty nervous, as though she had never walked from the cabins to the dining pavilion before, whilst Dean looked perfectly casual. I was soon enjoying a brilliant camp breakfast for the first time in ages before I had a horrible memory to the night before, when I agreed to do Kieran's chores for him in exchange for him being on my team. He grinned maliciously as he put a huge pile of letters and messages on my table. I couldn't help but glare at him.

"It isn't too late to chuck you off my team." I threatened. "You're not that vital to it."

"A deal's a deal, Swan. One week."

I made a frustrated noise, before setting to work. Needless to say the rest of the day was a lot more enjoyable, Archery was… well, I was at least getting the arrows in a straight line - with Helia and Chiron's guidance. Sword-fighting was a little bit more boring than normal, as the broken straw dummies had been replaced (after an entire year) and so we were to practice our technique against those, rather than each other. Lunch went fairly quickly, and then Greek Mythology and Monster Maiming went ordinarily.

The rest of the week went like that, although I had more chores than I would usually have, thanks to Kieran. Thursday morning was a bit more bearable. That may have been because I was doing my own chores, not his (Cabin Inspection was always pretty fun as I got to snoop on other cabins) or it could have been because Helia and Dean also had chores to be doing, so we did them together.

But, to my excitement, there was Capture the Flag. Leading a team for the bloody game appeared to be more challenging for me than leading a quest across the country. I had no idea how I was going to go about winning the game. Even though Ares were on my team, I didn't want them taking Alfie's flag, and so I put them on defence… border patrol, to be precise.

I figured that Dean and Sofia would work better together, so I put both their cabins on attack. I wanted them inside the other team's territory, but to hide and attack their defence teams when possible. I was pretty sure that Alfie would put his own cabin on defence, whilst Helia and Apollo went on attack. He had less cabins on side, but I was sure he would use that to his advantage somehow. I just wished I knew how.

I wanted Hermes to be _my _main attacking team. They were very high in numbers and I also wanted Amber to win the game. Hephaestus would be defending my flag, and I told Adam to come up with some trick.

"Don't worry, Scarlet." He told me. "We have quite a few tricks up our sleeve at the forges."

"Like what?" I asked, but he wouldn't say, which was a bit worrying. But then I remembered I was on their team.

* * *

Friday soon arrived, and the camp was buzzing with anticipation. They had never been alive for a game where Zeus had one of the flags, and Alfie told me during Monster Maiming that games between Athena and Zeus had made history… so, not a very big game, then…

After dinner, I was getting my blue team prepared, and told them what I had planned. Kieran was pretty miffed that his team weren't on attack, like they usually were, but I told him he could stick his complaints up his backside, as I was the leader and that is what I had decided. Fuming, Kieran took his team - and his complaints -away to get ready.

I had decided to put my flag somewhere that I could fly up and get, but that the red team wouldn't, which I thought was pretty ingenious, personally. It wasn't up a tree, but it was right up the top of some cliffs, near to where the forest led onto the beach, where our territory ended. I figured they'd have a tough job getting that.

Once we were all helmeted up - blue flumes in the air - we got ready to go. We waited eagerly until Chiron announced the rules we'd all heard before, and finally sounded the conch horn. We were off.

Alfie had surprised me. He had a range of cabins on border patrol, as opposed to one, and I started to see how he had got around the problem he had faced. He separated his 27 team mates into different teams, and we were faced with seven campers from various cabins; I could figure four Apollo campers, two Athena and a Dionysus.

We may have had twenty four Hermes campers, and one of me - giving us practically the same amount on our little section as Alfie's entire team had - but not all of the Hermes campers were skilled. The younger Hermes children and most of the undermined campers were pretty stumped. Amber and I took on the main fighters of the team – Amber against Tommy from the Athena cabin, while I took on Summer from Apollo. I was surprised, actually, to see how Alfie made the Apollo campers fight with swords, when they were best suited to bow and arrows, when - just as I was about to disarm Summer - an arrow flew out of nowhere. Looking around, I realised two more Apollo campers were here, both of them hidden in bushes, on either side of the fight, and _they _had their best weapons.

Alfie had picked this team well. I managed to disarm Summer, but then another camper came at me – another of Helia's siblings, Uma. This was becoming hopeless, and so I decided to do something truly spectacular…I ran, bringing the Hermes cabin with me.

The fight continued further on in the forest, although I had an idea. Keep half of Hermes fighting the seven campers, and the rest of us bolt off further. I got ten of Cabin Eleven staying behind, so they still had a majority, and then me and fourteen other Hermes campers ran as though our lives depended on it.

I hadn't seen Alfie or Helia yet, which was worrying. I hoped that - for once - the Ares cabin would do something helpful and hold them off until… well, Amber got the flag. It was also worrying how we hadn't come across any more campers on defence.

As soon as I thought that, more arrows flew by us. Four, to be exact. Four Apollo campers were hidden. We picked up our pace to avoid them, but four of the Hermes campers were hit. The rest of us had to haul them up and scarper away, until we came to face the flag. Alfie hadn't done much to make it difficult for us. Amber and I looked at each other weirdly, before Amber just strolled up to the flag and picked it up. Nothing happened.

With that, we began to speed walk back. I figured if we could all just focus on getting Amber back into our territory, we could win the game. I was sure the other team wouldn't be able to get my flag, which made me - and the others once I told them - more confident.

That was until we reached the border and found a massive phalanx formation. A phalanx formation was a line of campers standing shoulder to shoulder, stopping us from getting through, with their shields held up to form a wall. All twelve of the defence team were doing this, and we were doomed. I don't know how Alfie had managed to get them shields, when they didn't have them before, but they definitely had them.

To my utter disbelief, in the distance I saw Helia holding my flag. She was heading towards us, and I knew once she made it to her territory, the game would be won… in her favour.

It was strange, I felt this energy inside me. I got that a lot before my static shocks and electricity power. But this was different - and I wasn't sure what it was - but I instinctively thrusted my hand up to the sky. Thunder boomed, and a strike of lightning fell down to the phalanx formation. They all yelped and scarpered away in a panic. Amber sensed her opportunity and bolted across, but so did Helia. It was tight, but Amber just about won. I should have been celebrating, however I was standing there frozen.

"Scarlet, we won!" said Daniel.

"Hm." I carried on standing there, until Helia came up to me.

"Did _you _do that?" She asked me, still holding the Zeus flag.

"Yeah…" I muttered in a daze.

"You summoned lightning?"

"I didn't mean to!" I protested, but Helia laughed.

"Anyway…" She passed me back my flag. "Congratulations! Alfie is going to be so pissed at you."

"You guys did do pretty well." I had to admit. "How the fuck did you get my flag?"

"Well," Helia started to explain to me, as the campers began to submerge out of the for forest due to the conch horn signalling the end of the game, "we struggled to get past Sofia and Dean's cabins, as those two have really upped their powers now, but once we did, we saw where you put your flag – which was really unfair… we literally had to climb up the cliff."

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"Easy. We climbed up to the halfway point, where was easy to climb, and then me and my siblings fired arrows at the bottom of the flag – which I'll have you know is hard when you're halfway up a cliff… and we did this until the flag toppled and fell. I then caught it, and we climbed back down and ran for it."

I looked at her - begrudgingly impressed - and then remembered what happened.

"Holy Zeus. I _summoned lightning_."

"Yeah, your dad's the god of lightning, of course you can."

I shook my head in disbelief, and then Alfie and Sofia came up to us.

"Hey, Alfie!" I cheered. "How was the game? Where's your flag?"

"Don't be smug, Scarlet." He scowled.

"He was telling me he hasn't been beaten in nearly a year." Sofia grinned.

"About time he was then." I shrugged off. "Where's Dean?"

"He's gone to find Lucas. We congratulated Amber on the way, I'm so glad she won!"

"Yeah, same." I agreed.

The celebrations ceased pretty quickly. It had only been three days since the last one, and so campers were tired, and in their cabins by half nine. This was excluding the six of us of course, who were, as usual, on the beach. Alfie was still peed off that he lost, while I was feeling pretty ecstatic. Lucas was also feeling good. Due to his performance as my protector during the quest, the Council of Cloven Elders – three old satyrs that were in charge of the other satyrs – presented him some new reed pipes. He also received seven WM (Woodland Marks), which were like, the satyr equivalent of mortal UCAS points. Satyrs got three every time they brought a demigod back to camp, and more if they performed any tasks that proved bravery as a protector - and going on a quest to the Garden of the Hesperides counted as that. He would continue to gain points until he was eighteen, when he would use them to get a job.

"I now have 16 WM points, way more than others my age." Lucas said proudly.

"Well done, mate." Dean patted him on the back, and we all agreed.

"Don't get used to the quest points." I told him. "Chiron's told me that there aren't going to be any more."

"Shame. Because the last one was so much fun." Alfie responded, full of sarcasm.

"You know, it kind of was." Helia disagreed. It wasn't until I was lying in bed that I thought much on this.

So there was some freaky shit. The Furies at Tesco will always give me nightmares, and the fight against Ladon was one of the scariest things of my life. The Fates cutting the yarn, Eliza, the Laistrygonians, the empousai and even getting arrested. The fever induced hallucination I also had wasn't at all pleasant either, and I still wondered what the ants were supposed to represent.

But then… there were good parts. I'd learnt a little about Helia and Alfie whilst on the train. Busking with Helia was funny… until we got perved on. Sofia and Dean's growing relationship was fantastic to witness, and then we got to go in a flying chariot, and on a massive eagle. Sofia Charmspeaking Ladon was so utterly extraordinary. Then there was staying up on Olympus, in the best hotel to exist, and I got to meet my dad.

I looked at the statue of him, and I raised an eyebrow.

"You look nothing like that." I commented. "Except maybe… the facial expression."

Of course, the statue said nothing.

"You said you were proud of me, huh? Yeah, so you fucking should be."

I continued to stare at it.

"I'll try not to let you down." I yawned. "Don't want your wife killing me."

Silence. Obviously.

"We're getting back to normal, then."

I then threw myself back onto the pillow and kicked off my sheets slightly - due to the humid August weather - and my mind filled with thoughts of Amber and me beating Helia and Alfie, and being back at camp - safe from monsters and from mortals once again. For the first time since hearing about it, I truly forgot about the upcoming, forewarned death.


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven - I Turn Fourteen

"SCARLET, OPEN UP!" I heard Lucas shouting. I groaned, and my eyes flickered open. It was ten days after the game of Capture the Flag, and was a Monday. It also happened to be my birthday.

"No!" I growled, and checked the time. "GO AWAY! IT'S SIX O'CLOCK!"

Because I told them to go away - as the good friends they were - they decided to listen to me and let me sleep. Joking. As I told them to go away, all five of them decided to enter straight into my cabin.

"Why are you doing this?" I snapped.

"We wanted to wish you a happy birthday before breakfast." Sofia beamed.

"_Two hours_ before breakfast?"

"So you aren't an excitable person on your birthday." Dean commented, and reluctantly gave Alfie a drachma. Evidently they had been betting on this matter.

"I just hate being woken up." I sat up. "Thanks and everything, though."

Sofia excitedly threw a rectangular wrapped present onto the top bunk I was sleeping in. Curious, I opened it, and found a box of black high heels sitting in there. I had never worn high heels before in my life, and I didn't know when I ever would, but I definitely thought they were nice, and didn't have to falsely tell Sofia I loved them. I did… I guess. Or I could appreciate that they were nice.

"Aw, thanks, Sofe!" I grinned, starting to wake up more as another present was thrown at me.

"Helia?" I looked over at her and she looked at me expectantly to open it. I did so, and inside were two forged lightning fridge magnets. "Um, thank you."

"Press them together, you idiot." She laughed, and I did so. The whole thing suddenly expanded into a navy, circular rug, which lay on my bed. "I figured this place needed brightening up a bit, so here. Have a rug."

"Wow, Helia, thank you." I said sincerely, agreeing that Cabin One was definitely in need of something. She informed me that she bought the magnets and the rug, and Cabin Nine turned it into a convenient contraption.

"Athena sent this to me the other day." Alfie chucked it on my bed. "She's always liked the children of Zeus, and so she's given me this to give to you."

I opened up the small present, and saw two silver stud earrings that were a smallish cube. I had my ears pierced when I was nine, and I had been wearing earrings on and off since then, but I hadn't brought any with me to camp. I was absolutely touched that Athena had got me this.

"Thank you Athena." I muttered, promising to make a sacrifice to her _and _Zeus that breakfast. There was a silence after I said that, which Sofia broke.

"Dean? Your turn." She looked at him. Dean and Lucas glanced at each other awkwardly. "You forgot."

"We didn't forget!" Dean protested.

"No!" Lucas added. "We forgot the _date_."

"Dean, I reminded you _every day!" _Sofia argued incredulously.

"I know, I know." Dean held his hands up. "I'm sorry, Scarlet. I will make it up to you. And you, Sofia, I'll _definitely _make it up to you."

Dean hugged Sofia, and kissed her on the cheek. She tried to stay angry but it wasn't in her nature and she kissed him.

"Oh, please." I shook my head. "Not on my birthday."

"You aren't off the hook either, Lucas." Helia turned to him.

"How is this fair? Dean is kissed by his girlfriend, and _I _get the angry looks?"

"It doesn't matter." I said quickly. "Thank you, guys."

"We're your friends." Helia shrugged. "Well… me, Sofia and Alfie are."

"Hey!" Dean turned from Sofia and pointed at Helia. "Lucas and I _said _we're going to make it up to her, and we will."

"You will, will you?" Sofia raised an eyebrow. "As Scarlet's best friend, I am giving you until this evening to come up with something."

"We will!" Lucas exclaimed, and the two boys rushed out.

"They're mental." Was all Alfie could comment.

"Can I just ask," I said, and paused to yawn before continuing, "how Sofia and Helia managed to get these presents?"

"We got special permission from Chiron to leave camp and go into Enfield." Helia beamed.

"Enfield Town? Did you get attacked?"

"No." Sofia replied. "I think I used to get attacked when we went in because of you."

"Brilliant." I scowled.

* * *

The rest of the day also went pretty well. Dean and Lucas ate breakfast fast and dashed off before we could see them before lessons, and I remembered - once I finished eating - that I had Chiron's messages to sort, as a Monday. However, I needn't have worried. I went to the Big House to collect them and Chiron told me I had the day off, and he'd sort them out himself, wishing me a very happy birthday as he did so.

Dean was to do Cabin Inspection on Mondays, and, despite how messy my cabin was - due to all the wrapping paper and the cans of fizzy drinks a Hermes camper, India, managed to smuggle in for me - he gave me five out of five. He asked Sofia if that was making it up to me, but Sofia shook her head. The two of us were sitting outside my cabin, and - as well as me and Dean - _she _had to do Monday morning chores too – sorting out letters for the campers, and delivering them through the cabins. Sofia, out of all the other head counsellors who had to do that chore, had the short straw, in that she also had to deliver Sundays letters too, but after delivering a few, she gasped.

"Oh, Scarlet, this one's for you." She passed me a letter, and I recognised my mother's handwriting. I tore it open eagerly, but the message was short.

_My dearest Scarlet,_

_Come up to the top of Half-Blood Hill after you've had your lunch. Harry and I will meet you up there._

It took me a while to read it, especially as my eyes were so unused to English. After so easily reading Ancient Greek for weeks, my dyslexia seemed even worse, but I managed to read it. I was going to see my mum and brother.

Nothing much really happened for the rest of the morning. I managed to actually hit the target in archery, and the whole of Cabin Seven burst into a round of applause. Probably because the arrow didn't hit one of them, for once. I figured it was probably just birthday luck.

Sword-fighting was the same as ever, and I was trying to get information out of Alfie as to what Dean and Lucas were planning, but he wouldn't divulge information, which was a rarity for him. He even kept quiet when I won the fight, and had a sword pointing at him.

I ate lunch pretty quickly and bolted to Half-Blood Hill, where my mum and Harry were standing by the tree. Well, Mum was; Harry was trying to get into camp, but as a mortal he couldn't, and it was annoying him.

"Harry, give up." I smirked at him.

"Ugh, you're so annoying." He scowled, but let me hug him, but Mum soon grabbed me and started ranting.

"Oh my goodness, Scarlet, you have _no idea _how worried I've been about you. When Chiron told me about the quest and when I saw that report on BBC News about you _being arrested _and oh my, you're alive."

"You sound as though you thought I was going to die." I frowned at her.

"Scarlet, honey, you don't realise how young you are."

"Fourteen!" I said. She sighed at me and stroked my hair.

"You have to tell us what happened."

"Did you fight monsters?" Harry demanded.

"Loads." For once, I seemed to impress my brother.

We sat on the hill and I told them everything. My mum looked like she was going to be sick from the minute I told her about the first monster attack on Slades Hill, whilst Harry found the whole thing cool and seemed bursting with questions. When I had finished, Mum sighed again.

"He was Zeus?"

"Yeah."

Mum was lost in thought at this, but Harry was asking me about Olympus, and then continued asking me more questions. Finally, he said;

"Can't believe _you're _a demigod. You're stupid."

"What I'm concerned about," Mum intercepted, "is this Great Prophecy. It's scaring me."

"Think about me." I snapped.

"Scarlet, you need to decide if you're coming home this September."

"Why would she want to go home when she could stay _here?" _ Harry scoffed.

"It's not as simple as that, love."

"I don't want her to come home. I like being an only child."

"Unfortunately, Harry, I'm not basing my decision on whether you like the house to yourself." I said to him angrily.

"What does Chiron think you should do?" Mum asked me.

"I think he wants me to stay year round. But…"

"Scarlet." Mum hugged me. "Do what _you _want. What's Sofia doing?"

"She's going to go home. She has a boyfriend, now."

"Ooh, _does _she? Who?" Mum asked.

"One of the boys who came on my quest. Dean, my cousin."

"How can he be your cousin?" Harry said to me like I was stupid.

"His mother is Demeter, Zeus' sister." I answered, in a falsely stupid voice. Down in camp, the campers started getting ready for third lesson. "Mum, I have to go, I have Mythology…"

"I understand. Here." Mum handed me a couple of presents. I opened the first, and it was the present I got every year for my birthday; a bar of Dairy Milk that was nearly as big as me. Then I opened the other one, and it was a picture frame with a picture of Harry, Mum and I, that was taken only a few months ago, when Mum took us to the park on a rare day she wasn't working.

"Aw, thank you, Mum." I hugged her.

"Let me know what you decide, darling. I don't mind either way." Mum was slightly teary eyed, but tried to put on a brave face.

"See you, Scarlet." Harry grinned awkwardly, and I smiled just as awkwardly back, before I bolted down the hill again, lost in thought.

* * *

Greek Mythology was no more fun than normal, but I got to see Amber in Monster Maiming.

"Happy Birthday!" She came and hugged me. "I couldn't buy you anything, as I've been in camp, but I _have _got something in store for you."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I can't say." She winked at me before having to run off and help one of Alfie's siblings, who had been attacked. I frowned… I already had to wait and see what Dean and Lucas were planning, without Amber adding to the mystery.

Once the lesson had finished, I would have normally have gone down to the beach, but it was a Monday. And Monday was Chariot Race day. I starting representing Zeus the week before, but I came a staggering _last_, as - once again - the pegasi were scared of me. To ensure that didn't happen again, I'd been devoting my free time to gaining the pegasi's trust, and it had gradually been working. They didn't particularly like me, but I figured that they would actually try and help me win this time.

"Scarlet, I have to go and sort out an argument between a couple of my sisters." Alexandra informed me, who had been helping me. "Will you be alright alone?"

"Course I will." I informed her. Just as she was about to leave, she turned around again.

"Sofia was telling us it's your birthday today. Happy Birthday!"

I thanked her, and she left. But a few moments later, she was replaced by someone who I'd met along my quest.

"Package for Scarlet-Rose Swan." I heard Hermes say behind me. I turned, and he was standing there, wearing a postman outfit and holding a parcel.

"Oh. Hey, Hermes." I said awkwardly.

"Good afternoon." Hermes nodded to me. "Well done on your quest. I should have realised that the pegasus would have taken a disliking to you, however. Apologies about that."

"Nah, it's cool." I said quickly.

"Anyway!" He stood straighter. "If you could just sign for the parcel."

He got his Blackberry out of his pocket, which changed into an electronic signing pad, which looked ordinary enough, but two small snakes were twisting around the pen.

"Um…" I pointed at them.

"_Why is she pointing at us?_" I heard a male voice complain. _"Has she never seen a snake before?"_

"They're George and Martha." Hermes explained. "My two snakes."

"Oh yeah!" I exclaimed. "From your caduceus."

Hermes nodded, and I cautiously picked up the pen and signed my name.

"_Thank you for being careful." _A woman's voice sounded, who must have been Martha. _"The amount of times people grab the pen, completely forgetting we're here. I must be bruised everywhere."_

"_Stop complaining_." George told her. _"She's always complaining_."

"Enough, you two." Hermes sighed. The pad turned back into a full caduceus, before turning into a phone again, which he pocketed, then passed me my parcel.

"Thank you." I said to him.

"It's okay. I heard you spoke to Zeus?"

"Yeah…" I made it quite clear I wasn't comfortable talking about it.

"So! I'll leave you to prepare for the race. Best of luck, although I'll be rooting for Cabin Eleven."

"They should be around here somewhere. They usually go back to the cabin during free time." I informed him hopefully, which just made him look down.

"Hm. Best not. See you, Scarlet." He then turned around and left, and I felt my respect for the god decrease somewhat.

* * *

"Well done!" Helia grinned, looking at Dean, who - during his first chariot race - managed to get a win for Demeter.

"Thank you." Dean grinned. "And Scarlet didn't come last!"

"I came fifth." I grumbled.

"Better than me! I came eighth. Second to last." Sofia frowned. Dean had narrowly beaten Helia, who was second, and Alfie was seventh. Sofia's fighter, Alex, managed to throw a javelin at Alfie's wheels - breaking his chariot before Sofia's chariot also went down.

Just then, we heard a peculiar sound by the cabins, which I was confused by, and everybody else seemed to feel the same, so we went over to investigate. There by the cabins were the Ares campers, who were all madly itching their backs, cursing and rolling on the floor. Quite a few of the other campers had come to see the strange goings on that night.

"What the fuck?" I looked at my friends and we couldn't help it. We burst out laughing. Then - out of Cabin Eleven - came Amber, smiling smugly and strolling over to us.

"This is what I had in store." She informed me. "Itching powder. I ordered some in bulk the other week, snuck into Cabin Five and put it in their clothes. I got Alex to charm it, so it would start to work at exactly now."

I watched as Kieran staggered over to us, bright red in the face and fuming.

"What did you do, Amber?" He glared at her angrily, while she just raised her eyebrows in return.

"Can't you tell that yourself?" She laughed. "Little gift to Scarlet here." She put an arm around me, and I knew what Helia and Alfie meant by Amber's pranks. This was legendary.

While I was laughing, thousands of fireworks burst into the sky, and spelled out the words 'Happy Birthday Scarlet!'. I watched them in disbelief, as the image vanished, and was replaced by another lot of fireworks, creating the scene of three massive eagles flying about.

"Yeah." Lucas smirked. "Here's what Dean and I have been up to."

I was feeling so giddy with happiness that I hugged the two of them. Sofia looked admirably at Dean, and wrapped her arms around his neck, while Lucas just stood there - grinning like an idiot. It was then that I came to the realisation. I had just had the best birthday I'd ever had.

* * *

That night, whilst lying in bed, I decided to open the parcel Hermes delivered to me. I'd been saving this, as I knew, just by the strong, rainy grey colour of the package, that the present was from my father.

I opened it tentatively, and inside found a silk blanket. There was no denying that the deep shade of purple was utterly beautiful - and it shimmered every time it moved. I could almost see thunderstorms etched into the silk.

At first, I looked at it in disbelief, wondering whether Zeus thought I was turning four not fourteen, and was equally pissed off that he hadn't even written a note. Then I started to see the sentiment behind it, and sighed. I chucked the wrapping paper onto the floor, and laid down in bed, still holding the blanket.

"Cheers." I said sleepily, before falling straight to sleep, and I might not have known what the choice I'd make when I was nineteen would be, but I knew how to answer my more immediate choice.


	28. Epilogue

_Dear __Sarah Stone_

_If you intend to stay at Camp Half-Blood year round, you must inform the Big House by noon today. If you do not announce your intentions, we will assume you have vacated your cabin or died a horrible death. Cleaning harpies will begin work at sundown. They will be authorised to eat any unregistered campers. All personal articles left behind will be incinerated in the lava pit. _

_Have a nice day!_

_Mr D (Dionysus)_

_Camp Director, Olympian Council no. 12_

I put the letter that I found on my bedside table that morning down again, and stared straight ahead thoughtfully. Of course Mr D had filled out the form and got my name completely wrong.

I silently got ready for breakfast and left my cabin. Breakfast itself was a rushed affair; louder than I'd ever seen it. Everybody was chatting boisterously, but people were also rushing their food down hurriedly. I was still eating my egg on toast whilst campers by the cabins were lugging out suitcases, panicking over lost T-shirts and hugging various campers as they passed each other, in a quick farewell.

Once I'd finished mine, I took a deep breath. And I made my way to the Big House. Alfie and Helia happened to already be there, telling Mr D that they would be staying year round. Why _Helia _had to I didn't know; I would have thought it would have been obvious.

"Excuse me." I announced. Alfie and Helia turned around, and they looked mildly surprised. I hadn't told anyone - even Sofia - my decision, in case I changed my mind. But, thirteen days later, on the 1st September, I still stuck to my choice. Mr D looked up at me, sitting on his sofa with the plasma TV paused.

"Yes, Sarah Stone?"

"Scarlet Swan." I snapped back. "And I'm here to announce that I'm… I'm going to stay year round."

"I knew it." Alfie said instantly. "I told you, Helia."

Helia grinned at me. "I'm so glad you're staying!"

"I'm not." Mr D sighed. "Now go, the three of you, and let me watch Jeremy Kyle."

"You watch Jeremy Kyle?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Indeed. Ridiculous mortals arguing; my favourite kind of show."

I looked at Helia and Alfie, expecting them to understand the funniness of the situation, but neither of them knew what the show was. The three of us left.

Back at the cabins, I saw Sofia lugging out a suitcase from Cabin Ten. She and Coco were chatting humorously, but when Sofia saw me, she gave her sister a final hug and came over.

"Scarlet, where's your suitcase… oh." She smiled in realisation.

"I'm sorry, Sofia, but I kind of have to… it's too dangerous for me out there and I need to train."

"You don't need to apologise." Sofia shook her head, like I was being silly. "I knew this was coming."

"What's happening?" Dean had a rucksack over his shoulder, walking out of Cabin Four and heading straight for us. Of course, he made his own way to camp, and didn't bring a suitcase, but he appeared to have collected a lot more belongings throughout his time at camp, and I could see his sword nearly piercing a hole in the bag, due to lack of space.

"Scarlet's staying year round." Sofia informed him, lacing her hand through his.

"Thought so."

"Lucas is waiting for us at the beach." Helia interrupted. "Want to go down there for about half an hour?"

And we all agreed.

* * *

"How are you getting back?" I was asking Sofia. The six of us were standing on the top of Half-Blood Hill to say goodbye to each other.

"Dad's picking me up." Sofia answered.

"What about you, Dean?"

"Argus is taking down a load of us to the train station. I'll get the train back to Devon from there."

"Stay away from Exmoor." Helia warned, and we all laughed.

"I'm going too!" Lucas protested. We all stared at him in shock.

"You have no suitcase, or rucksack!" Sofia argued.

"More to the point, where _are _you going?" Alfie asked. I couldn't believe Lucas was choosing to tell us just as he was about to leave.

"I don't need anything! I have my hat, fake feet and reed pipes! They'll give me a school uniform when I get there. I'm going to a boarding school in Manchester, to find some more demigods."

"You'll be starting Year 10." I commented. "GCSEs start then."

Lucas looked positively sick, while Sofia and Dean both groaned. They must have forgotten about that aspect to going home. I couldn't help but grin, feeling more confident about my decision to stay at camp.

I looked round and saw Amber lugging up a suitcase, which surprised me.

"Amber!" I rushed over to her. "I thought you would be staying."

"Nah." She grinned. "I have a job to be getting back to."

"You have a job?" I just couldn't imagine Amber – daughter of Hermes, the god of thieves (and a massive troublemaker), having a _job_.

"Yeah, I work up at the Premier Inn near Kings Cross. Have my own little flat and everything."

I looked at her in utter disbelief. "Well… see you next summer, then."

"Stay out of trouble, kid." She winked and then hugged me, knowing that I would probably be doing the complete opposite.

A horn sounded, and I looked down. Campers were beginning to lug their things down to the coach, and I saw Sofia's dad in his car, amidst a sea of other mortal parents in their cars. He saw me looking and waved at me, beaming, and I smiled back. I then made my way back to Dean, Sofia and Lucas.

Firstly, I hugged Dean. "Look after yourself." I told him.

"I'll be fine, dear cousin." He grinned at me. I then proceeded to Lucas, who hugged me so tight I couldn't breathe.

"Lucas!" I grimaced, and he let go.

"If I find any demigods up in Manchester," He told me, "don't get jealous. You're my favourite."

"Shut up." I told him.

"Lucas, you're coming back at weekends." Dean shook his head at him. "Stop being so dramatic."

"Oh, for fuck sake Lucas." I half laughed, half glared. I then turned to Sofia, and her eyes welled up.

"Come on." I hugged her. "You'll have fun. Meet some new people. What school are you even going to?"

"Have no idea." She said. "I hope you have fun here."

"Thanks. Remember to Iris-message me."

"Of course I will." She smiled, and then - with one final hug - she, Lucas and Dean proceeded down the hill.

Finally, all the summer campers had gone, and the only ones left were me, Helia, Alfie, Adam, Kieran - and then Alfie's sibling Evanna, and two of Kieran's siblings – Angelica and Robbie. All three from the Dionysus cabin – Henry, Tim and Saffron – stayed, which I suspected was due to their father being here.

"And then there were three." Alfie stated.

"Beach?" Helia suggested.

"Beach." I agreed.

* * *

**_- Thank you! Words can't describe how happy I am that you read it all, especially as it doesn't have Percy, Annabeth and all the other loveable characters. I have six books planned in all, just in case you may be interested, but, again, thanks! I had to come up with Lucas' WM story as, after the Battle of the Labyrinth, it would feel weird bringing up Pan again, to me, anyway. I know the prophecy idea is _very _similar to Percy Jackson, but the idea for it has always been there, and I felt it was needed for the story. I hope you liked the story, Scarlet and the other characters, and I hope to whoever is reading this, that they have a great day. - _**


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